Understand You Better
by NineAnd3Quarters
Summary: Anastasia helps her friend Mia after she gets wasted one night, effectively catching Mia's mysterious brother's eye and making each of them see the world a little bit differently.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Updated on July 1, 2016. Hoping I added better detail and fixed my errors.**

"Mia! Slow down!" Anastasia begged as she stumbled in the door of the Grey residence with a drunk Mia. Anastasia stopped for a moment to lift Mia's arm to her shoulders and wrap her arm around her friend's waist.

"I DON'T WANT TO COME HOME! YOU'RE NO FUN! I WANNA PARTY WITH MY FUN FRIENDS!" Mia complained loudly, throwing her Louboutin's across the kitchen, the noise making Anastasia wince.

"Hush! Do you _want_ to wake the whole house? And let me remind you that those friends you call _fun_ left you lying in the middle of the dancefloor while they had _fun_ somewhere else!" Anastasia admonished while she flipped on the kitchen light.

As they made their way into the hall, they were welcomed by Mia's parents and her two brothers, who were all standing in the sitting room with wine glasses in their hands.

"Um…hello…" Anastasia blushed crimson.

"Ana!" Elliot exclaimed, grinning from his spot next to his brother.

"Ugh! I feel terrible!" Mia complained. It was like slow motion: Mia let go of Anastasia's shoulder's and bent over, grabbing her stomach. Anastastia's eyes widened and she looked to her right and found a crystal candy dish sitting on the hallway table. She dumped it and pushed it into Mia's hands and it ended up catching most of the sick.

Anastasia winced as she saw the expensive dish fill with regurgitated cocktail, but hurried to hold Mia's dark hair away from her face.

"Uh…Mia…let's get you upstairs…" Anastasia mentioned, steering her and the bowl she still had clasped in her hands towards the stairs.

The family stared wide eyed at the mess in the hall, bewildered at what had just happened with the two twenty-two year olds.

"Yea…about that, don't worry! I'll be back down to clean it up in a few!" Anastasia said, looking back over her shoulder at the family as she started up the stairs with Mia.

"You're such a good friend! Where's Sean? He wouldn't even answer his phone! I want my Seany!" Mia whined.

"Yes…well, he's an ass." Anastasia answered as they made their way to the top of the stairs.

"Men _are_ asses. Maybe I should just stick with girls! Come here..." Mia said moving her head close to Anastasia's face.

"No, no! That won't be necessary!" Anastasia put a hand between their faces.

"Don't you love me Annie-Banany?" Mia pouted.

"Of course I do! Just not in that way."

"But don't you think I'm pretty?"

Anastasia sighed. "Of course I do…look, you're drunk! I would never want to take advantage of you."

"Oh! Ana! You're such a good friend." Mia squeezed Anastasia to her.

"Yea…now let's get you changed and into bed." Anastasia told her as they stopped in front of her room.

Fifteen minutes later, Anastasia came out of Mia's bedroom with the clean candy dish that she emptied into the toilet and washed in the bathroom sink. She headed down the stairs to clean up the mess, only to see one of Mia's brothers holding a hand towel and the once trashed hall was clean again.

"Oh…well, thank you! You didn't have to do that. I would have gotten it." Anastasia said as she placed the bowl back on the table.

She was met by hard gray eyes and a beautiful face. Anastasia knew his name was Christian, but he usually kept to himself when she was around.

He cocked his head to the left slightly and narrowed his eyes, as if he was trying to read her. "You've taken great care of Mia tonight. It's nice to know she has at least one friend who cares about her well being."

Anastasia was taken aback by the comment. She wasn't even sure if she'd ever even heard him speak before. She felt herself blush at the compliment. "Oh…well, thank you."

Christian's eyes kept scanning her face, still seeming to try to look for something in it. It made Anastasia feel quite anxious.

"Well, I just came down here to get Mia some water and ibuprofen for the morning and then I'll call myself a taxi and be on my way." Anastasia announced, looking for a reason to walk away from Mia's mysterious brother.

She went back into the kitchen and filled a glass before opening the cabinet and pulling out the medicine container.

"You know the kitchen well…" Anastasia jumped at his voice. "I didn't mean to startle you…"

Anastasia took a deep breath to calm her heartrate. She didn't understand why he couldn't just leave her be. She had never been comfortable being alone with men and he was following her around like a lost puppy. "I've done this before, unfortunately. Usually her parents are asleep." Anastasia shook her head as she placed the container back in the cabinet. "I feel responsible…I promised myself I'd watch her, but the others kept slipping her drinks. Especially that Sean…he always..." She shook her head again and leaned up against the counter. "Sorry…I shouldn't speak ill of others…anyway, I better get this up to her and make sure she has a trashcan." She pushed off the counter and grabbed the glass and the pills.

She was at the hall when he spoke again. "You don't have a vehicle?"

She turned her head to look at him and saw him giving her another curious look. She found it quite odd that he was making such an effort to read her.

"Not here. I drove Mia's car back." She gave him a polite smile and continued toward the stairs. She was halfway up when she heard him again.

"Taxi's aren't safe. I'll take you home."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "I…um…that's alright. I'm sure I'll be fine." She looked over the banister to look down at him.

His jaw clenched. "Don't be silly. I'll take you home. You made sure my sister was safe. It's the least I could do to do the same for you."

Anastasia stared him down, but he didn't back down, so she resigned and gave him a small smile. "Alright. Thank you."

She saw Christian's lip twitch upward. "You're very welcome Miss…?"

"Steele. Anastasia Steele." She really hoped she didn't just make a huge mistake.

He gave her a nod. "Anastasia Steele." He said, testing her name on his tongue. "Christian Grey."

Her grin widened. "I'll be down in a moment Mr. Grey."

She saw amusement dance in his gray eyes. "I'll be here, Miss Steele."

A few minutes later, Anastasia backed out of Mia's room. "Don't forget to use your trash can!" She started to close the door.

"Annie Banany! Stay!"

" _Goodnight_ Mia!" Anastasia said as she closed the door and leaned her forehead against it. She loved Mia...but sometimes that girl could be too much.

Anastasia headed back down the stairs, suddenly feeling exhausted. Her feet were killing her, her bra was cutting into her side and she just wanted a nice, hot bath. She found Christian leaning up against the counter in the kitchen, checking emails on his blackberry.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat...and for once it wasn't her worry that fueled it, but butterflies deep in her stomach. This was the first time she got a good look at him and she realized he was quite handsome…beautiful even. Not just his face, but his whole body. Her body's reaction startled her; she'd never had this reaction to a man before. He looked up from his blackberry and gave her a small smile.

"Ready?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes." She internally winced at how breathy her voice was.

He stood and waved towards the door. "After you, Miss Steele."

Once outside, Christian placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to his car. Anastasia immediately went rigid and gasped at the contact; she usually didn't allow men so close to her. Sensing her unease, Christian dropped his hand and he visibly saw her relax.

He went to the passenger-side door and opened it for her. "Miss Steele."

She gave him a polite smile. "Mr. Grey. Thank you."

After he shut the door, she watched him walk around the car while she put her seatbelt on. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. She never allowed herself to be alone with straight men; something deeply rooted in her past kept her from doing such things. Men were trouble…but there was something about him that made her feel safe. In the few times she saw him around Mia, she saw how good he was with her and how much of a soft spot he had for her. He had seen Anastasia taking care of his baby sister and appreciated it; maybe that's why Anastasia felt safe to be brought home. He wouldn't hurt someone so close to his sister. She quickly admonished herself for thinking that way. After all of these years of keeping her guard up, why should she let it drop just because of some ridiculous fluttering in her stomach?

As he slipped into his spot, rather gracefully Anastasia noticed, he asked her if she was buckled up tight while the R8 purred to life.

"Yes, Sir." Anastasia answered. She heard Christian inhale sharply and thought it was odd, but she decided to ignore it. "This is an incredible car."

He gave her a large grin as he backed out of the driveway. "I know."

She couldn't help, but giggle at his reaction. It was nice to see him so carefree for a moment, when he usually looked so hard.

"You have a lovely laugh, Anastasia."

Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you."

He turned his head to study her at the red light.

"What?" She asked, worried something was wrong with her face.

"You are one interesting creature, Miss Steele."

"Am I?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

Christian gave her a nod. "You are the only woman who has ever denied my brother's advances as well as the only friend dedicated to my overly flamboyant sister."

"Well, she's a lovely girl. So much energy….it's nice. She's like the sun. It makes people gravitate toward her; I just want to soak up all her happy rays." Anastasia explained, grinning at the thought.

"And my brother?"

"Well…he's…he's Elliot." Anastasia shrugged.

Christian gave a chuckle, surprising her again. "That he is…what I want to know, Anastasia, is how you can have such big heart, and yet, the biggest playboy on the planet doesn't make your heart melt. I've had to listen to him complain for months now."

She sighed. "It's…well, he's a man." She looked down at her fingers and missed Christian's frown.

"Oh…so you're attracted to women?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No. I'm very much attracted to the male form…"

"But?"

" _But..._ Elliot's Elliot. He scares me."

Christian's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh?"

"Most men scare me." She admitted.

"I see. May I ask why?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you so interested?" Anastasia asked, a bit confused.

"Like I said, you are an interesting creature, Miss Steele. I just want to understand you better." He looked at her quickly before looking back toward the road.

Anastasia worried her lip for a moment, while she looked at her fingers, thinking. When she released it from her teeth, she heard Christian exhale sharply and she looked up to see him staring at her.

She shook her head. "I don't know why I'm telling you this…but, a long time ago, I had a bad experience with a man who took advantage of the fact I was small and…he did things against my will. Ever since then, I try to stay away from men."

Christian's brows furrowed and he looked at her with sad eyes. "I'm so sorry Anastasia." He reached over and squeezed her hand. Her whole arm erupted in goosebumps, confusing her. His hand was warm, big, and a little rough in her small cold one. Men's touch usually had her shrinking away, but his felt comforting. She resisted the urge to put her other hand over his.

"It was a long time ago…and he's in jail now." Anastasia said.

"Did you know him well?" Christian asked, leaving his hand in hers.

She looked down and tried to not think too much about it. "Yes. He was my father."

Christian gasped and clenched his jaw. He squeezed her hand tighter. "And you aren't scared of me?"

She sat for a moment, staring at their hands. "I guess not."

"Why?"

She looked up at him and felt her heart lurch. "Should I be?"

"No, Anastasia. I only take willing women to bed." Christian said, seriously. "Answer my question Anastasia. Why did you get in the car with me? I'm practically a stranger."

"I think it's because you love Mia so much…I've only seen you two together a handful of times…but I can see how fond you are of her. I can't see you hurting someone so close to her. By hurting me, you're hurting Mia." She tried to explain, but she was starting to get a little anxious to get home and out of the car now that he had her doubting her decision.

He sighed and seemed to relax a bit.

Before she could stop herself, she felt her mouth continue on its own accord. "You're mysterious Christian, but not scary." She ignored his grin and looked out the window to see them pulling up at her driveway.

Her forehead wrinkled. "How did you know where I lived?"

He released her hand and put the car in park. "Elliot."

She rolled her eyes. "Lovely." She released her seatbelt and grabbed the handle. "Thank you for the ride Mr. Grey. It was…interesting."

He gave her an amused look. "My pleasure, Miss Steele." He unbuckled his seatbelt. "Let me walk you to the door."

"NO!" Anastasia yelled. "Sorry…no, thank you. I'd feel safer going myself."

Christian furrowed his brow, not liking the thought of why she didn't want him going to the door with her, but let her go. He gripped her hand one last time. "Alright, Anastasia. Sleep tight. You look exhausted."

She smiled and squeezed his hand back. "Thank you. You too, Mr. Grey." He released her hand and watched her walk to the door. When she had it open he pulled out.

Sean, Mia's boyfriend, came stumbling out of the open door.

"Sean! What are you doing here? How'd you get in?" Anastasia asked, stepping back a few feet onto the walkway.

"Where's Mia? I thought she was with you!" Sean's voice was a bit loud and slurred.

"She's at home sleeping….where you should be." Anastasia told him.

He grabbed her by the waist. "That's unfortunate…I was promised I'd get some tonight…" He buried his head into her neck and took a deep breath. "You smell good."

She grimaced and tried to push him away. "Sean, go home! You're drunk."

He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. She pressed her lips in a thin line and pulled away. "Sean, stop. Don't be stupid! Go home." She tried pushing him away.

He brought his hand up and smacked her before shoving her into the grass. "Don't call me stupid!"

Anastasia's heart was beating a mile a minute and her brain was screaming 'RUN'. Sean dropped to his knees and she used her arms and legs to crabwalk backwards, trying to get away from him. She couldn't help but think how quickly this escalated. Sean must be drunker than she had anticipated.

He reached out and grabbed one of her legs, pulling her toward him. She squeaked and tried grabbing onto the ground to stop him. Once he was straddling her legs he doubled his fist and she put her hands up, turning her head, his fist making contact above her temple.

"Keep still, you little bitch!"

She felt his weight being yanked off of her and looked up to see Christian throwing Sean to the ground. She got up as fast as she could and pulled her dress back down. She watched Christian punch Sean twice before standing and kicking him three times in the stomach.

"Don't you dare think about coming anywhere near Anastasia or Mia again! Do you understand me?" Christian yelled. When Sean did nothing, but groan Christian kicked him again. "Answer me you son of a bitch!"

"Yes!" Sean yelled from the ground.

Christian ripped him off the ground by his collar. "I swear to God, if you touch either one of them I'll kill you. Get out of here." He threw him back down on the ground.

Sean hurried and stood up, doubled over and holding his stomach as he stumbled toward the street. Anastasia backed away from him, in case he lunged, and watched him leave.

"Hey…" Christian was instantly at her side. "Are you okay?"

She blinked up at him, trying to get her bearings.

Christian sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What am I saying? Of course you're not okay. Come, let's get you cleaned up." He offered his hand to her and she found herself taking it immediately. She wanted the comfort of his large, warm hand in hers again.

He led her inside and into the kitchen. "Hop up." He said, patting the counter.

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Anastasia. Do as I say." Her eyes widened at his bossy tone, but she decided she best do what he said. He did just save her, after all.

"Good girl." He told her while he went to the freezer. He pulled out the ice tray and grabbed the kitchen towel hanging on the stove handle on his way back over. He deposited multiple ice cubes in the center of the dishtowel before enclosing them and twisting the edges together.

He picked it up and placed it above her temple, where a bump was starting to form, and held it there. She hissed as it made contact with her sore head.

"Thank you."

Christian studied her face for a minute. "Hold this." He told her, referring to the ice. She took it from him and held it to her head while he went to the sink.

"I was pulling away when I saw Sean come bursting out of the door and I decided I needed to circle the block make sure you were okay." Christian explained, walking back with a wet paper towel in his hand.

"I'm glad you did."

A frown tugged at Christians lips. "Me too."

He looked at her lip and placed the wet paper towel on it, making her wince. "You've got a bloody lip." He shook his head as he cleaned her up. "What a bastard…where is your medicine cabinet?"

"That corner cabinet there." Anastasia said, looking to the right.

He nodded and stepped away from her. "You're going to need some pain reliever for that head." He threw the paper towel in the trash and rummaged through the cabinet before bringing her two capsules and filling a cup up that sat on the drying rack of water.

Anastasia began to set her ice down, when Christian admonished her. "Leave it! The swelling will go down."

"My shoes are killing me. I just need a minute."

"Keep it on the bump. Let me." Christian reached down and unbuckled each high heel and slid them off her feet before setting them down next to the cabinet.

Anastasia rolled her ankles. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome Miss Steele. Here…now take these." He said, handing her the Advil. Once she put them in her mouth, he handed her the glass of water.

She giggled as she set it down, making Christian cock his head. "I was just thinking that I just did this to Mia…now I know how she feels. The next thing I know, you'll be dressing me for bed." Anastasia teased.

Christian cocked and eyebrow and smirked. "If that's what you wish, Anastasia…I've already started on your shoes."

She snorted. "No, thank you. I think I can dress myself, Mr. Grey."

He grinned and grabbed her hand that had the ice, lifting it slightly and taking a peek at the bump.

"Swelling isn't too bad, but it'll bruise." He took the towel from her and emptied it in the sink. "It's late. You need rest, Anastasia."

She slipped off the counter. "Thank you again, Christian. If you weren't here…" Her voice faded and she looked down, shaking her head.

He took a step toward her and lifted her chin with two fingers. "Hey…don't you worry about what might have been. I was here…that's all that matters."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews, follows and favorites. I hope you continue to enjoy this story! Let me know how you like it! Cheers.**

 ***Updated on July 1, 2016. Hoping I added better detail and fixed my errors.***

"No Ana! I don't want to hear it! Sean told me what happened. He was drunk, he made a mistake. Get over it!" Mia stomped her foot and smacked her thighs with her fists while they stood, fighting on the back patio. Mia refused to listen to anything Anastasia was saying.

"But Mia…he isn't safe! He-"

"Stop Ana! If you can't keep your mouth shut about it, then go! He'll be here in ten minutes."

Anastasia looked at Mia for a moment, trying to read her face, before throwing her hands up in the air and turning around to go back inside. Before she could grab the patio door, it opened and she stepped back as Christian stepped out. He was in black trousers, dress shoes, a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and had aviator glasses on. Anastasia clenched her jaw to keep it from falling to the floor. The memory of what he looked like didn't do him justice. It's like her mind forgot just how striking he was.

"What is going on? Mom said you two were fighting?" Christian asked, pulling off his glasses and eyeing Mia.

"It's nothing!" Mia said, shortly.

Anastasia shook her head. "Oh, no! Don't you try to dismiss this! Christian…" She turned to him and he looked down at her, his gray eyes softer than she remembered them being a couple nights back. "She has decided to ask Sean to dinner tonight!"

Christian looked shocked. "Sean? What the _fuck_ , Mia?! I told him to never speak to you again! Don't be stupid!" He yelled, rounding on Mia.

"Yeah, I hear you beat the shit out of him...thanks for that, by the way! Luckily my deranged brother didn't scare him off!" Mia yelled, smacking Christian in the chest.

Christian stood there stone faced, his jaw clenched. "He hurt Anastasia, Mia. He could hurt you. I will not stand for this. He is not good for you." He told her quietly.

"How do you know what is good for me Christian? You barely come around! Sean was just drunk! He tried to kiss her and she freaked on him!" Mia stomped her foot.

"If you let him come here, I _will_ ruin him, Mia. Mark my words." Christian's voice was low and menacing.

Anastasia tried to back away quietly, deciding to leave them to it, but she hit a chair and it scraped causing both of them to turn and look at her.

Anastasia winced. "Sorry…I'm just going to…go." She mentioned pointing to the patio doors.

"You're really going to leave? My mother was expecting you for dinner! You're acting childish!" Mia complained.

Anastasia furrowed her brow and bit her lip. "Mia…I-"

"Mia!" The patio door opened and Sean stood there. Anastasia's whole body shivered at his voice. She backed up quickly and ran right into a solid warm wall. She turned her head and Christian looked down at her, fanning his hand out against her stomach, pressing her against him.

Mia ran to Sean, giving him a hug while he looked over her shoulder, giving Christian a smug smile. Sean had a fat lip and a black eye.

Anastasia felt as if her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Her flight or fight response had kicked in and she wanted to run. She wanted to be as far as she could from Sean. The only thing stopping her was Christian's hold on her, and if she was being completely honest, she wasn't ready to pull away just yet. The smell of Christian overpowered her senses and she fought the urge to turn and hide in his chest. She hated her body's reaction to him. She heard Christian make a growling noise, she could feel it rumble in his chest that was pressed against the back of her shoulders. She placed an hand over his to try to- what? Calm him maybe? She didn't know- but it felt like thing to do at the moment.

"Come on Sean…let's go inside." Mia told him, scowling at her friend and brother.

"After you, love." Sean said, following her inside.

Once the door was closed, Anastasia let out a relieved sigh and felt herself relax against Christian. He bent down close to her ear. "If you weren't here to hold on to, I would have killed him." Anastasia shivered as his breath hit her ear and his voice tickled her ear canal.

"Cold? Let's go inside." Christian said, releasing his hold on her.

Anastasia nodded. "I just want to get my keys and I'll be going."

Christian frowned at her. "Don't."

Her eyebrows shot up and he sighed, looking down at the ground and shaking his head. "If you go then he wins. And…" Christian frowned. "I don't want you to go."

Anastasia gasped. "You don't?"

He shook his head. "You'll be safe with me…and you'll distract me."

"From what?"

"From killing that fucker." Christian clenched his jaw. "Come." He lifted his hand for her to take. She looked at his hand for a split second, knowing her body was going to go into overdrive. "Trust me, Anastasia."

Her eyes met his. "Okay." She placed her hand in his and received a small smile from him.

"Good girl. Let's eat."

When they reached the dining room hand in hand, both of his parents eyes widened and they looked at each other. Christian decided to ignore their looks.

He took her to her seat and pulled it out for her. "Your seat, Miss Steele."

She sat. "Thank you, Christian."

Christian sat next to her. "My pleasure, Anastasia."

Anastasia noticed Elliot staring from across the table at her and she gave him a small, polite smile. "Elliot."

"Ana…" He stood and made his way over to her. Anastasia stood and turned so he could hug her. She patted his back and tried not to look too uncomfortable.

"You look lovely in your sundress, Ana." Elliot mentioned as he hugged her.

"Thank you Elliot…" He pulled back and kissed her on the cheek.

"My pleasure, as always, love."

When Elliot made his way back to his seat, he winked at Anastasia, making her blush and look down at her plate. She missed the scowl Christian gave him.

Sean took the spot next to Elliot and Mia sat next to Sean. Anastasia kept her eyes down, not wanting to catch either man's eyes across the table.

"A drink, Anastasia?"

Anastasia turned her head to look at Christian who gave her a warm, encouraging look. "Yes, please."

Grace Trevelyan-Grey gave Anastasia a concerned look. "Ana…are you alright dear? You're acting strangely…"

Anastasia looked up. "Yes, Dr. Trevelyan. Just a little tired." She lied.

"We've been over this Ana…please call me Grace."

Anastasia nodded and smiled at Grace. Christian handed her a wine glass and she accepted it, smiling at him. "Thank you."

They soon tucked into their meal of apricot chicken, greens, and roasted red potatoes that Gretchen, their maid, brought out. Anastasia had concentrated on her wine glass as Gretchen entered, trying to ignore the feeling of annoyance she got in the pit of her stomach when Gretchen batted her eyes at Christian.

"Ana…" Her head shot up from her plate when she heard Sean call for her. "I just wanted to apologize about how… _indisposed_ I was Friday evening."

Anastasia tried with all her might to give him a polite smile, but it just wouldn't form, so she nodded.

Christian scratched his chin stubble with his thumb nail as his eyes bored into Sean's, his brow ridge deepening. He looked over to Anastasia, who sat to his right, and reached over his lap with his left hand, still holding onto his fork with his right, and clasped her left hand in his. He pulled her hand into his lap and let it rest on his left thigh while he ran his thumb over her knuckles, reassuringly.

After stopping for a beat, then realizing she didn't mind the action, Anastasia went back to pushing her chicken around her plate.

Christian frowned at her and leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You _must_ eat, Anastasia. Don't let him win."

She turned her head to look up at Christian, who gave her a stern look. She looked down at her plate and stabbed a piece of potato, bringing it to her lips and chewed. She felt Christian squeeze her hand as he went back to eating.

XxXxXx

"Let's take a walk." Christian said, when dinner was finished. He noticed Anastasia getting more uncomfortable the longer she sat there.

She nodded. "Okay."

Christian excused them and she followed him out the back.

"Be careful, Miss Steele. The grass is-"

Anastasia squealed as she slipped on the hill and grabbed his elbow, making him fall on his butt next to her.

"Wet." Christian finished, making Anastasia laugh.

"I'm sorry!" Anastasia stood up wiping off her backside while he did the same. "I'm all wet! Is it noticeable?" She asked turning her back to him.

"No…not at all." Christian tried to keep the amusement out of his voice while he looked down at her wet bottom, her mint green eyelet sundress now dark green along her derriere.

She turned and scowled at him and he cracked a grin. "Okay…yes. What about mine?" He turned his back to her.

"UGH! That's so frustrating! Your black pants show nothing. I have half a mind to throw you in the lake just to make it fair!" Anastasia pouted.

He turned and cocked an eyebrow at her. "If you think you can manage, Miss Steele."

She rolled her eyes. "What about that walk I was promised, Mr. Grey? Maybe we'll finish by the lake."

He grinned and offered his elbow. "I wouldn't want you falling again, Miss Steele. I imagine your backside is quite pink after that spill."

Anastasia blushed and took his elbow.

"Tell me about your family Anastasia." Christian urged as they started to walk around the property.

"You've already willed enough out of me on Friday, Mr. Grey. I believe it's your turn."

"You already know my family."

"So, tell me something about yourself." Anastasia reasoned.

"Me? There's nothing to tell." Christian said, keeping his eyes downcast.

"I highly doubt that."

Christian sighed. "I'm a very private person, Anastasia."

She bit the corner of her lip. "I'm aware…but it's only me. Just Ana."

He shook his head. "You are far more than just Ana."

"Am I?" She asked, trying to hide how happy that comment made her.

"You are." He said firmly, giving her a serious look.

Anastasia looked up at Christian. "Come on, you know my deepest secret. You owe me."

"Oh, Ana…" Christian sighed and shook his head. "You aren't going to give up are you?"

She grinned. "No…probably not."

"You are frustrating, Ms. Steele. What am I going to do with you?" He asked, rubbing his index finger over his bottom lip.

Anastasia felt her heart start beating hard in her chest and it surprised her, considering she wasn't frightened. She realized it was from excitement.

"I noticed how private you were when you mentioned you only take willing women to bed. Until then, I was given the idea from your family that you might be gay…or abstinent. Why haven't they met any of the women you've been with?" Anastasia asked, deciding to change tactics.

Christian stopped walking and turned to her, his jaw set. She was suddenly worried she went too far.

"Anastasia…I…" He ran a hand through his hair. "Look…I'm very private…"

"We've established that." Anastasia clipped.

"Wow…you're infuriating…if you were mine…" Christian closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Anastasia cocked an eyebrow. "Yes…?" She coaxed, trying to convince him to finish that sentence.

"Nothing. I haven't brought any of them around because there wasn't a need to."

"Don't you want your parents meeting the girl you have a relationship with?" Anastasia asked.

"No…I'm not the hearts and flowers kind of guy. I've never had relationships like that. My past… _relationships_ …were all physical." Christian tried to explain. He took her hand in his and started to walk again.

"Hearts and flowers?" Anastasia asked, teasing.

"Romance, Miss Steele." He clarified.

"You really find me that infuriating?"

Christian let out a sigh. "Yes, Anastasia. I do."

"Is that such a terrible thing, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, trying to turn his mood around.

He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking.

"No…it's not. I'm just use to people doing as I say, Miss Steele. It's been a very long time since I've come across someone who has challenged me. It's refreshing." Christian explained, frowning.

"Sounds like you need a challenge more often then, Mr. Grey." Anastasia answered, smiling.

"Maybe I do." He answered quietly.

"I think you got enough out of me for one night, Anastasia. It's your turn. Tell me about your mother." Christian said, as they made their way around and started back towards the house and the lake. Anastasia noticed the sun was almost set.

"My mom? Well…she's currently in Georgia with husband number four."

"Do you see her?"

"Yes, I do…sometimes. I love her, but her beau's were always more important than me. I feel more like we're friends than mother-daughter. When she ran off with husband number three I stayed with my step-dad Raymond Steele." Anastasia explained.

"So, you took his last name."

Anastasia realized that what Christian said really wasn't a question, but didn't dwell on it.

"Yes. After he and my mother found out what my father was doing when I was forced to stay there and he was sent to jail, I asked Ray if I could change my name. I didn't want anything to do with that man." Anastasia bit her lip.

"So, Raymond Steele is good to you?" Christian asked.

"Yes. He's been incredible. He's who I call Dad now." She smiled at the ground.

"Why didn't you tell them?" Christian asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You said when they found out…I just figured that meant you didn't tell them."

"Oh…well, I was scared. He use to beat me with a belt." She looked up at Christian and saw him blanche. "He said he'd hurt me worse if I told and said he'd hurt whoever I told, too."

He looked at her and she noticed the haunted look on his face. She cocked her head to the side and he shook his head, so she didn't press it.

They made their way to the dock in silence.

"Well, here's your chance Miss Steele." He said turning toward her.

She smiled up at him and shook her head.

"No? Well, then let me…" He grabbed the tops of her arms and she squealed and grabbed him around the waist, clinging to him. She felt him tense as her head hit his chest and heard his breath leave his lungs. She picked her head up and relaxed her hold around his waist and saw him relax.

"If I'm going down, your going down with me, Grey!" She warned.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against him. "I wouldn't want to ruin that sweet little sundress you're wearing."

She craned her neck to look up at him and his smile faltered. "You are the sweetest little thing I've ever met, Anastasia... So innocent." His gaze was intense and his brow was creased in what looked like worry. He brought his hand up and the pad of his thumb grazed the bruise over her temple and the worry wrinkles on his forehead deepened. Before Anastasia could dwell on it, he looked up at the sky, swallowing hard.

She watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed and found that she had the intense urge to lean up on her tip toes and kiss it. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips together, trying to shake the feeling. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, noticing the moon.

"Full moon tonight." She mentioned.

He grinned and looked down at her. "Scared of the wolves, Anastasia?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you a wolf, Christian?"

His smile drooped into a frown. "Baby, you have no idea…"

Before she could retort, Elliot's voice rang out from toward the house and they released each other, taking a step back from one another.

"Speaking of wolves…" Anastasia murmured, making Christian's eyes dance in amusement.

"There you are! We thought you got lost. My brother giving you a hard time?"

Christian shoved his hands in his pockets and cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "She was just taking me for a walk." He answered, the wolf reference not gone unnoticed by Anastasia, who bit her lip to keep from smirking.

Elliot eyed his brother. "Uh huh…Mia and Sean left already." He mentioned.

"I guess I better say goodbye to your parents and leave, too." Anastasia mentioned.

"I'll walk you to your car, Ana." Elliot mentioned. "You know…make sure your safe…" He added, wiggling his eyebrows and grabbing her elbow, steering her toward the house.

She quickly looked over her shoulder at Christian, with wide eyes.

"I think I'll walk with you." Christian told his brother, catching up with the two.

"No need, bro."

"Oh, I insist. I have work I need to finish. I'll leave when Anastasia does." Christian told him, making Elliot's teeth grind in frustration.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know a few of you expressed your feelings about Sean, the lack of 'backbone' from Christian and Mia's decision to stay with him. The story will reveal more about all of these issues. You just have to be patient. :) Another chapter...hopefully you enjoy this one.**

 ***Updated on July 2, 2016. Hoping I added better detail and fixed my errors.***

Anastasia, Mia, and Mia's parents were sitting in the family room on Saturday night, watching _Insidious_ in the dark. It got to the part where the sensitive was explaining what the demon looked like on the ceiling when a voice rang out behind the couch the girls were sitting on.

"Hello."

Anastasia and Mia screamed, Mia grabbing onto Anastasia's arm.

Anastasia turned around and found a very surprised and entertained Christian, standing there in black jeans with matching chucks, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. His hand was in his pocket, making him look like a boy brought up on the wrong side of the tracks and it made her stomach clench deliciously.

She shook her head from her thoughts and picked up a few pieces of popcorn and threw them at him, the pieces bouncing off his leather jacket. His eyes followed the popcorn and once they dropped to the floor he looked up at her and cocked an eyebrow, the humor in his face gone. Both of his parents stared wide-eyed at the two. They knew Christian didn't have much of a humor.

"Don't _scare_ me!" Anastasia admonished, trying not to smirk at his serious face.

"Are you smirking at me Miss Steele?" Christian asked.

She shook her head and bit her lip to hide it.

"You sure about that?" He asked, coming around the couch.

She covered her mouth with her fingers and nodded.

"Tsk, tsk Miss Steele. Thou shall not lie. I don't know if I should take you over my knee or laugh with you." Her eyes widened and he lunged at her and tickled her ribs, making her squeal and fall sideways on the couch.

"Stop! Christian! Please!" She cried in between giggles. "I'm sorry!"

He stopped. "For?" He asked, staring down at her and holding onto her waist.

She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? AH!" She screamed when he started up again. "OKAY, OKAY!"

He stopped and looked at her expectantly. "For throwing popcorn at you."

He gave a nod. "Apology accepted." He pulled her up to a sitting position and wiped a stray tear off her cheek with the knuckle on his index finger. "I think you've been tortured enough for one evening." He smirked.

"Ew. You two give me a toothache! Can we continue the movie now?" Mia asked, pretending to sound disgusted, but giving herself away by the large grin on her face.

"Are you staying?" Anastasia asked, looking up at Christian, her cheeks red from the tickle torture.

His brows furrowed and he looked down at his watch.

"I thought you only had enough time to drop off those documents…" Mr. Grey asked, teasing his son.

"I do…" Christian looked down at Anastasia and she looked up at him with her bottom lip between her teeth, a hopeful look in her eyes. He felt his resolve crumble.

He sighed and shook his head, shrugging out of his leather jacket and draping it over the back of the couch. "Move over."

Anastasia grinned up at him and moved to the center cushion, sitting cross-legged and putting her bowl of popcorn in her lap.

Mia hit play after he sat down. "Popcorn please, Miss Steele?" He asked quietly, wanting some. He gave her an amused look.

She looked back at the popcorn on the floor. "But you haven't eaten the popcorn I already gave you, Mr. Grey. You really shouldn't waste food."

His look faltered for a moment and she thought playtime was over until he grinned.

"Those pieces are homicidal, Anastasia. Death by rogue popping corn is not my preferred way to go." He whispered.

Anastasia giggled. "Fair enough." She lifted her bowl and offered him some. "Be aware of the rogue pieces now…you might choke. I would hate to have to do the Heimlich."

Christian leaned in close to her ear and whispered. "Noted, Anastasia. I would hate for you to have to that, too. I'd much rather have mouth-to-mouth."

Anastasia gasped. "I've never wanted someone to choke so much in my life, Mr. Grey." She whispered into his ear, her nose grazing the top shell of his ear, before she turned toward the movie, trying to hide her intense flush. She hadn't meant to touch him, but she noticed the goosebumps form on his neck and felt rather proud of herself.

Christian sucked in a breath, his heart rate doubling at Anastasia's bravery. His eyes wandered towards his parents and saw both of them staring at him intently. He cleared his throat and relaxed into the couch, watching the movie.

Anastasia sat with both hands cupped over her mouth and nose and gasped when the demon on the screen popped up behind the man's head at the dinner table. Mia was clinging to her shoulder, her head against it, when Christian reached out and grabbed Ana's knee, making her scream that set off a scream from Mia, beside her.

"Christian!" Anastasia admonished, smacking his bicep.

He tried to contain his amusement, but couldn't help a grin. "I guess I deserved that."

"You're rotten!"

"I'm sorry." Christian said, not sounding apologetic at all.

Anastasia rolled her eyes and went back to the movie, hyperaware that he never moved his hand from her bare knee. His hand slowly slid down her calf and when he was midway down he grasped it, unfolding it from her other leg and pulling it into his lap.

She looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow, noticing his smoldering look. She curled her toes, unable to clench her thighs together and he gave her a right-sided smirk. He reached down and grabbed her other ankle and yanked it into his lap, making her turn towards him. She opened her mouth to protest, until he started massaging one of her feet. She closed her mouth, the protest forgotten, and she leaned her head up against the couch, giving Christian an appreciative smile. She had to bite her tongue, the urge to moan was strong and would be extremely embarrassing to do in front of his parents.

Christian worked up her foot to her calf, finishing at the knee before continuing on the opposite foot. Christian kept gazing over at her, enjoying her drowsy smile while she watched his hands.

He turned his head to look at her and she looked up at him with that grin on her face, causing him to grin back. She reached up and slid a hand through the back of his hair, massaging his scalp. He leaned his head back into her hand, his eyes closing, a deep breath escaping his lips. She grazed her fingernails over his scalp a few times more before dropping her hand and hooking it in the crook of his elbow. He gave her another grin as her eyes drooped and she allowed herself to drift off.

Anastasia was startled awake by the remote smacking the wooden end table and the light turning on. She blinked rapidly and was met with an amused Christian, an incredible grin on his face.

The pads of his fingers grazed up and down her calf muscle. "Welcome back Miss Steele."

She gave him a shy grin.

"Walk me out?" He asked, although it didn't sound much like a request.

She nodded and stretched, reluctantly placing her feet back on the floor.

He gave her his hand and she accepted, allowing him to help pull her off the couch. He grabbed his jacket with the other hand and moved over to kiss his mother, refusing to let go of Anastasia.

Anastasia stood awkwardly behind Christian while his father watched her with an inquisitive look on his face. She was starting to wonder if his parents didn't approve of her.

Once the two made it to the kitchen, she slipped on her pink Old Navy flip-flops before heading out to his car.

They stood there, Anastasia facing him while he ran his thumb over her knuckles. She took in his features and noticed he looked a little put off. She wasn't sure what to say or how to act so she just stood there and looked down at her feet.

She saw his other hand come out from his side and play with the hem of her light pink cotton shorts. "Not that I don't love seeing your legs, Anastasia, but don't you think you're dressed inappropriately? It leaves little left to the imagination."

Anastasia's head jerked up to look at his face, her mouth a little slack and she looked down at herself. She wore a tight white t-shirt with the word 'dream' on the front in pink lettering and pink sleep shorts that matched.

"I didn't expect to see anyone this evening. I was planning on going home and going straight to bed." Anastasia explained.

"You shouldn't wear that out anywhere, Anastasia! What if it was Elliot that stopped over…or even that fucker, Sean?" Christian's tone was harsh, making her feel guilty.

"I didn't think about that…" She bowed her head and wished she could just disappear. She was embarrassed being chastised by him.

Christian sighed and ran his fingers along the hem of the leg of her shorts, the pads of his fingers grazing her thigh. "You look lovely, Anastasia…I just wouldn't want you giving the wrong impression to anyone else. I'm a very jealous person Anastasia…and I don't share well."

Anastasia stared at him wide-eyed. Didn't share well? What did that mean? Was he really that interested in her? She fought the smile that was trying to form.

Suddenly his hand pulled away from her leg and he shoved it into his pocket, pulling out his blackberry.

"Grey." He answered, squeezing her hand and staring down at her.

"And what'd you find…I see…no, that'll do just fine…yes…did you search juvenile records?...good, do that...Email it to me, I'll look it over tonight." And with that he turned off his cell and shoved it back in his pocket, giving Anastasia a small smile.

"Good news?"

His grin widened. "Very." He picked up the hand he was holding and began to kiss every knuckle. By the time he was done, Anastasia felt breathless.

"Don't bite your lip Anastasia." Christian commanded, lifting his free hand and running his thumb over her bottom lip, catching her off guard.

"And don't look at me like that. I still have a few more things to discuss with Dr. Flynn before I claim those lips."

Anastasia's mouth hit the floor. She shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to find her bearings. "Dr. Flynn?"

"My therapist."

Her tongue slid across her bottom lip as she took in the information. "Things?"

"Yes, _things_. The hearts and flowers…" Christian smirked.

"That's what you talk about with your therapist?" Anastasia's eyebrows rose.

He chuckled. "I want to see if it's possible for me to have vanilla…or some form of vanilla anyway."

Now she was confused. "Vanilla."

"Yes, Anastasia…vanilla…I want to try vanilla with you…but I've never had it plain."

She regarded him for a moment. "So…I'm vanilla." She felt a bit disappointed, that he thought of her so…plain.

He exhaled slowly and pulled her against him. "We would _have_ vanilla…or at least I would try to keep it vanilla."

"And these other…relationships, were what? Chocolate fudge? Rocky road?"

Christian laughed. "More like devil's food."

Anastasia's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "So…are you going to tell me what makes them different?"

Christian stared into her blue eyes for a moment. "Once I talk to Flynn and you sign an NDA, we'll talk."

"Sign an NDA?"

"Non-Disclosure Agreement, Ana. If you sign that, you can't tell anyone what I told you…you can't run off to the press." Christian explained.

Anastasia frowned. "I would never…Christian, I told you my biggest secret the first night I met you! Why would I turn around and break your trust?"

Christian pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. "Relax. I don't think you would…but my lawyer is adamant that every person sign it." He released her and rested his hands on her hips.

"So, these other girls…they all signed it?"

Christian nodded. "All of them…and Taylor…and my housekeeper."

Anastasia felt herself relax. "So not just me."

"Heavens no, baby. Not just you."

She gave him a smile and nodded, feeling better.

XxXxXx

Anastasia laid in bed that night, going over the past week in her head. She couldn't believe how fast she was falling for Mia's brother. She'd never really been interested in any man and when she finally found one, it's Christian _freaking_ Grey!

There was a ping from her cell phone and she looked at the clock. It was after midnight…who would text her at this time?

She reached for her phone and opened the inbox. It was a phone number she didn't recognize. She clicked on it anyway.

 _*It's Christian*_

She couldn't contain her squeal as she held her phone to her chest. Taking a deep breath, she hit reply.

 _*Grey?*_

Another ping. She grinned.

 _*Yes, Grey! Just how many Christians do you know, Anastasia?*_

 _*Keep you hair on, Grey! Just you.*_

 _*I'll have you know, my hair does not come off Miss Steele. And if I'm the only one, then why'd you ask?*_

 _*Wrong #, perhaps? How'd you get mine?*_

 _*I have my ways.*_

 _*Elliot?*_

 _*No. After the other night, I don't think E would ever willingly give up any of your info.*_

Anastasia couldn't help, but giggle at this.

 _*Well, however you got it, I'm glad you did.*_

Anastasia felt her cheeks burn as she sent it. It was a brave thing for her to say.

 _*Me too, Ana.*_

His text made her feel braver.

 _*I'm glad you came tonight. I missed you.*_ She bit her lip and held her breath.

 _*Oh, sweet girl.*_

Anastasia stared at it, not knowing how to take it.

 _*You didn't think I was sweet earlier when I threw popcorn at you.*_

 _*No…no, I didn't. You're infuriating sometimes. I don't know what to do with you.*_

Anastasia bit her lip.

 _*What do you want to do with me?*_

Anastasia watched for a minute, but a response didn't come. She realized she might have overstepped a boundary. She was about to give up when another ping sounded.

 _*I can't tell you that.*_

 _*Why not?*_

 _*NDA...plus it'll make you run for the hills and I'm trying to court you.*_

Anastasia's mouth dropped open, her heart was pounding in her chest.

 _*Is that what you're doing? Courting me?*_

 _*I thought so…but maybe I'm doing it wrong. I'm not good with hearts and flowers, Anastasia. It's not something I know.*_

 _*I've never been courted…so I don't know how it's done, but I don't think you're doing so bad with the hearts and flowers part…the massage was a little bit of hearts and flowers…the walk and staring at the moon by the lake was a lot bit of hearts and flowers.*_

 _*A first for both of us, then? I just enjoy your company, Miss Steele. The hearts and flowers part was just a happy accident*_

 _*Yes…I enjoy your company, too, Mr. Grey…there was something that you said earlier though, that has me curious.*_

 _*Oh? Well let's have it, Miss Steele.*_

 _*Well, earlier, you said you didn't know if you should take me over your knee or…were you serious? You wanted to spank me?*_

One minute…two minutes…three go by and Anastasia set her phone down and tried to close her eyes for bed.

PING!

Her eyes shot open and she grabbed her phone, fumbling a few times.

 _*Yes. But I didn't…and I won't.*_

Anastasia chewed her lip while she reread it a few times. How did she feel about this?

 _*Why not?*_

 _*I don't want to scare you.*_

 _*Did you do it to the other girls?*_

 _*Yes, but they liked it.*_

 _*What if I like it? What if I want my vanilla with some sprinkles?*_

 _*Oh, my sweet girl. You can't say things like that.*_

 _*Why not?*_

 _*It's late, baby. Go to sleep.*_

 _*What?*_

 _*Go to sleep Anastasia!*_

 _*What happens if I don't?*_

 _*BED! NOW!*_

 _*Geez…no need for shouty capitals, Mr. Grey. You're bossy! Does Flynn know?*_

 _*Oh Anastasia...you don't know just how bossy I can be. Now get to bed!*_

 _*I'm in bed.*_

 _*SLEEP!*_

She rolled her eyes and threw her phone back on the nightstand.

Anastasia couldn't help, but think that Christian was one strange man. She hoped that in time, she would understand him better, find out what his past was like, and why he wants to keep everything such a secret.

Christian Grey was willing to pay a therapist to try and have a 'normal' relationship with her…or see if it was possible. She tried to keep her mind on the fact that he was trying so hard, even though they barely knew each other, and keep her mind off the fact that his past was so fucked up (or maybe still is) that he felt the need for said therapist.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: No fluff. Has a bit of background I wanted to get out though.**

 **For those wondering, Ana and Mia are about 22, Christian 27, Elliot 29ish.**

 ***** **Updated on July 2, 2016. Hoping I added better detail and fixed my errors.***

Anastasia had recently been promoted to editor at the publishing company SIP, where she had been working as an assistant since she started college. She had worked through her schooling doing mostly online, evening, and weekend classes so that she could get her foot in the door. After four long years it had finally paid off.

The last editor had up and quit without any notice and she had been thrown into the job suddenly, trying to clean up the mess the last editor had created. She had spent her days reading over manuscripts and going to meetings with authors, trying to sweet talk most of them back to the publishing company since the former editor seemed to leave a bad taste in many client's mouths.

It had been about two weeks since the last time she saw Mia or Christian because of this and she felt like she was having a bit of a withdrawal. She snorted at the thought. She barely knew Christian and he had a past that worried her…she wondered what could be so bad about it if he was never arrested. There was a part of her that wondered if she should just try to get out of it while she could, but there was a deeper part that wanted him. No man had ever caught her attention like he had and her curiosity about his past was too great to let it go.

She was even more surprised that she was missing Mia, considering she had been having a hard time with the Sean situation. Mia always had a big heart and had always felt the need to be loved and accepted by others. Mia was known to give more chances to people than what they deserved and tried to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Anastasia believed that Mia's insecurity about love is what kept her needing Sean around, even if he didn't deserve her love.

Mia had told Anastasia that Sean said he merely tried to kiss her and that when she called him stupid, he got overly upset and raised his hand when he shouldn't have. When Anastasia tried to explain that there was more to it, Mia had told her that she was just overreacting and that she needed to get over it.

Although Mia had a good heart, she was also very immature for her age. Her parents had babied her her whole life and she had no idea what the real world entailed. Mia was such a bubbly, happy soul that Anastasia found it easy to ignore her immaturity for the most part, although sometimes it made her cringe.

Anastasia sat in her office on Friday morning, trying to get through the mound of manuscripts that sat on her desk. She knew she would be bringing her work home with her for the weekend and she was a little disappointed, hoping that she would get to see Mia on Sunday. Maybe Christian would pop in for a Grey family dinner that Sunday…she should probably find something nice to wear in case. Maybe if she worked late into the night the next couple nights she could ease up on Sunday.

*Buzz*

"Yes, Olivia?"

"Miss Steele…there's someone in the lobby for you, requesting a meeting."

Anastasia frowned. She did not have the time for an unscheduled meeting with God knows who.

"Are they willing to schedule the meeting for another day?"

"Er…I don't think so, Miss Steele. Please."

Anastasia was surprised by her words. She was basically sending an SOS to relieve her of this person.

"Okay, Olivia. I'll be right there."

She heard a sigh of relief from her assistant. "Thank you, Miss Steele."

On her way, an intern named Benjamin popped up next to her. "Miss Steele, these papers came this morning that I need you to sign."

He handed her the papers and a pen as they walked towards the lobby.

"Papers? I wasn't aware of any… _shit_." Her eyes scanned the front page of the document. She marched toward the lobby, her jaw set.

"Miss Steele! I need that signed!" Benjamin called out, following her.

"In a minute, Benjamin!" She said as they turned the corner from the corridor to the lobby.

"But…!"

Anastasia spun around to face him. " _Mister Baker!_ I will read through and sign this when I am ready! Do I make myself clear?!" She knew she was taking her anger out on the wrong person, but he was being ridiculous.

"Yes, Miss Steele." He scurried off looking taken aback and she marched on. She stopped in the lobby and crossed her arms, her eyes scowling at the intruder.

"Miss Steele."

"Mr. Grey."

"May we speak?"

"Please. Follow me." Anastasia answered coldly.

Olivia stood there, looking shocked.

"Olivia, could you bring me some tea? Mr. Grey? A beverage?"

Christian clenched his jaw, trying to keep the smirk off his face. Angry Anastasia was a sight to behold. "Coffee…steamed milk. Thank you Olivia."

Olivia's face flushed and Anastasia found it extremely aggravating. She didn't want Christian to find joy in anything at the moment…especially in making a female blush…when she was so angry with him.

He followed her to her office and shut the door behind him as she sat down at her desk. Once he sat down across from her, she threw the paperwork on her desk between them.

"Why?" Anastasia asked. "Why? Out of all publishing houses, you pick this one?"

"It was the most profitable." Christian answered, his face expressionless.

"I've worked so hard to get to this point and you just swoop in and take over the company and expect me to sign a new contract under you! Now I have to start all over again somewhere else!" Anastasia fumed.

"Anasta-Miss Steele… I assure you that there will be no need for that. Your job is safe here." Christian said leaning towards her.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as there was a knock on the door and Olivia appeared.

"Your tea, Miss Steele." Olivia said, setting it front of her.

"Thank you, Olivia." Anastasia said, not taking her eyes off Christian.

"Your coffee, Mr. Grey."

"Thank you, Olivia." Christian stared back at Anastasia with the same intensity and Olivia scurried out of the office, closing the door behind her.

"You realize you'll be my boss's boss? Do you realize how fucked up that is?"

"Technically, I already am and frankly I don't like your attitude, Miss Steele." Christian said, his gaze becoming hard.

"I haven't signed anything, Mr. Grey."

"Why are you so against this, Anastasia?"

"Because, people will talk. Not only am I friends with your sister, but if we decide to…pursue whatever…the rumors will fly and my reputation would be ruined! I can't be interested in my boss!" Anastasia sighed and chewed her lip.

"Your boss's boss...you wouldn't report to me." He reminded. "Please, Anastasia. Just sign." Christian slid the paperwork closer to her.

She eyed it. "How long have you owned it?"

"Two weeks."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She felt her blood boiling in her veins.

"I had a feeling you'd overreact." Christian said, running a hand through his hair. The action reminded Anastasia of the night in family room and the memory of how soft his hair had been. She quickly shook these thoughts. She needed to stay angry.

"Is that why the previous editor quit?"

Christian frowned. "He didn't quit. He was fired."

"Oh?"

"The employees are being informed today and it'll go public in two weeks. I imagine that when Jansen finds out who took over, the shit is going to hit the fan." Christian explained, taking a sip of coffee. Anastasia completely forgot they had drinks until she saw this.

She furrowed her eyebrows as she dunked her teabag in. "Why?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" When Anastasia gave him a confused look he sat back in his chair. "You don't know? He's Sean's step-brother."

Anastasia's mouth dropped open. How could she work with him over a year and not know? Her stomach twisted at the thought. Just because Sean was bad, didn't mean he was too.

"Is that why you fired him?"

He sat with his elbow resting on the armrest, his thumb nail grazing his lower lip. When he just stared at her, her eyes widened. Her heart sunk when a thought hit her. "When did you decide this publishing house was the right one?"

Christian's tongue slid over his bottom lip. "Thirty days."

"Before or after you took me home?"

He frowned. "The Monday after."

"Christian! You can't just ruin a man's career because of mistakes his step-brother made!" Anastasia admonished.

"The company's numbers plummeted after he took over the position. It was necessary to save the company. He was shit at his job."

Anastasia sighed. "Yes, I can't deny that."

"This company was sinking and he was the cause…then you come in and you bring back three authors who paid to break their contract. You know what your doing Miss Steele. You are a real asset to this company. Sign Anastasia. Don't make me buy another company." He stood up and leaned over her desk, handing her a pen.

Anastasia stared up at his gray eyes trying to catch his bluff, but saw that they were warm again. She quickly looked down and cleared her throat. "I need to look through it first, Mr. Grey."

"Is that a yes?"

"No."

Christian stood, a frown forming. "So, a no."

"Not necessarily. Like I said, I need to look over it. You can't expect me to sign something I haven't read thoroughly." Anastasia set down her pen, annoyed that he was pushing her.

Christian nodded. "That's understandable, Miss Steele."

"Glad you understand. Now...is there anything else, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, cooly.

Christian looked taken aback for a moment before his eyes went hard, his face cold. "No, that's it."

"Very well." Anastasia pushed the intercom button.

"Yes, Miss Steele?" Olivia asked through the speaker.

"Please show Mr. Grey out, Olivia."

"Yes, Miss Steele."

He stared at her, the look of shock back on his face.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, her eyes cold.

"No, Miss Steele. The meeting just ended rather abruptly for my liking." Christian said, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, well I apologize, but I do have a mound of work to do. Some of us don't have time to chit chat all day, Mr. Grey."

Olivia knocked and opened the door, a fake, polite smile on her face.

"I expect your decision by Monday, Anastasia." Christian clenched his jaw and stalked out of her office, not bothering to wait for Olivia. With a look back at Anastasia, Olivia hurried after Christian. "Let me get the door for you Mr. Grey!"

Anastasia felt her whole body relax once they were both out of sight. She wondered if Olivia already knew about the change. He had said the employees would find out that day…was that why Olivia was so nervous around him or was it just his beautiful face and confidence? _Or cockiness…_ Anastasia thought darkly.

Anastasia took a few deep breaths, trying to get her blood to stop boiling. She hadn't been that angry in a long time. Usually her anger was mixed with hurt or guilt when it hit her, but this anger was pure.

How could he have known and not told her? Why did it have to be the company she works for? How could he let Sean control his decision like that? How could she go on at a company where the owner is the only man to ever give her butterflies?

*Buzz*

Anastasia almost jumped out of her skin at the sound. She hadn't realized just how lost in her thoughts she was.

"Yes, Olivia?" Anastasia's voice was a little higher than normal.

"Are you okay, Miss Steele?"

"Yes, thank you, Olivia. What is it?" Anastasia sighed, trying to get her heartrate to calm.

"It's a Mia Grey on the phone…She sounds really upset. She said it's an emergency."

"Of course it is." Anastasia murmured. "Okay…put her through."

"Are you sure you're okay, Miss Steele?"

Anastasia smiled. "Yes, Olivia…these Grey's are just driving me a little crazy at the moment."

She heard Olivia's laugh. "Okay, Miss Steele. I'll send her through. Let me know if you need anything." Anastasia felt a sense of affection for the girl. She was a wonderful assistant and a lovely girl.

"Thank you Olivia."

The phone rang and she picked it up. "Anastasia St-"

"ANA! WHY HAVEN'T YOU ANSWERED YOUR PHONE?"

"Mia? Calm down! I was just in a meeting. What's wrong?"

"It's Sean! Oh, Ana! I'm so sorry!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I hope this chapter comes out like I had it in my head. It could be good...or it could be a complete disaster. :/**

 **Update: Edited on 7/24/2016. Hoping I fixed all of my mistakes.**

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner, Ana. I've been _terrible_."

Mia and Anastasia sat around the coffee table in Anastasia's living room, finishing off a bottle of wine and their Chinese take out. Mia had told Anastasia that Sean had showed up earlier that day at her house going ballistic. Someone had indeed told his brother that Christian took over the company and it pushed Sean over the edge. Sean said that not only had her family been ruining _his_ life, but his brother's too. In his rage, he had confessed to Mia what really happened that night between he and Ana and told Mia that Ana deserved it. He also told Mia that he was only with her because of her wealth and name and that no wealth was worth dealing with a spoiled brat and her prick older brother.

"Glad you came to your senses." Ana poured the rest of the bottle into Mia's glass while Mia answered a text message.

"That's the end." Anastasia said as she sat the empty bottle on the table.

"The other bottle is in the fridge. Why don't you go get that and the ice cream?" Mia urged, looking odd.

Ana eyed her for a moment. "Fine." She shook her head and stood up, taking her wine glass with her. As she entered the kitchen, she saw the pile of work on the table and groaned. At least she forgot about it for a few hours. She decided she'd get up early the next day and dedicate the whole day to work.

She pulled open the fridge and pulled out another bottle of wine, using her automatic opener to pop the cork. She poured some into her glass and took a sip before pulling out the container of ice cream, opening it, and shoving 2 spoons in the carton. She opened the cabinet and pulled out the sprinkles, and then retrieved the can of whipped cream and the hot fudge out of fridge door. Shoving the three items under her arm she grabbed the ice cream container and headed in, taking a bit on her spoon and flipping it over in her mouth to lick it clean. Movement in the living room made her freeze on the spot.

"Miss Steele."

Anastasia stared at Christian. _Those_ _dirty rats!_ They conspired against her. Mia let him in! she _knew_ he was coming!

"I think you forgot the wine Ana…" Mia teased.

Ana pulled the spoon out her mouth and licked the ice cream off her bottom lip. "Why are _you_ here?" She asked, pointing the spoon at Christian.

"What do you have there Anastasia?" Christian asked, his eyes lighting up playfully. Anastasia noticed he was in gray flannel bottoms and a white t-shirt. He never looked so… _comfortable_. It pissed her off.

"Vanilla ice cream." She answered, setting it down on the coffee table.

"With sprinkles?" He asked, his eyes darkening.

She rolled her eyes and pulled the container from under her arm, shaking it. She then set down the hot fudge and the whipped cream.

"No cherries?" Christian asked, coming closer.

Anastasia looked towards Mia and back to him. "None here…sorry."

His nose scrunched a bit at the double meaning and the thought of his sister, but he continued closer. Ana refused to step back and held her ground. He stopped right in front of her and cupped her face. "It doesn't count if someone steals it Ana." He whispered.

" _Don't_." She stepped back. "We _do_ , however have some liquid grapes in the kitchen. Let me go get it." Anastasia turned and headed towards the kitchen.

She stood at the counter for a minute, taking a large gulp of her wine and trying to get her bearings. How could he show up that night, acting like nothing had happened earlier that day? Especially since he hadn't cared about seeing her in weeks….suddenly, it was important? No, she refused to let him glaze over what happened.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Christian said, close behind her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I haven't seen you in weeks and then this morning, you wouldn't even let me touch you...These past two weeks have been hell." He nuzzled her neck. "Jesus, you smell _so good_ Ana."

"No." Anastasia said sternly, even though her knees felt weak. Christian sighed and dropped his arms.

"You can't pretend like this morning never happened. We need to fix this first."

"I thought I _was_ fixing it." Christian whispered into her ear, as his hands going to her hips.

"This isn't fixing it, Christian! You can't… _seduce_ me and think it'll be better!" Anastasia turned around and folded her arms in front of her.

Christian frowned. "I don't know how to make it better."

Anastasia's heart clenched at the realization that his only coping mechanism was seduction…sex was his way of fixing things and getting what he wanted.

"Talking. Listening. _Explaining_. All of these will help." Anastasia told him.

He gave her a boyish grin and scratched his head. It annoyed her that he could look so cute when she was angry.

"Let me get you a glass…and then we'll sit down and you'll explain yourself." Anastasia told him as she reached for a glass.

He saluted her and went back into the living room. She suddenly had the urge to throw something at that perfectly formed backside of his. He was so aggravating.

Once she was back from the kitchen with their glasses and the bottle, she sat next to Christian on the middle cushion of the couch and turned toward him, crossed-legged. She took a sip of her wine and raised her eyebrows expectantly while Mia watched from the floor.

"We really _were_ looking at all four small publishing houses before this. SIP had the most revenue…well, until Jansen. It worried Ros, so we had it narrowed down to two and after that night…well I can't deny that what that fucker did had something to do with it…but I knew it was profitable with a proper editor." Christian explained.

"So…you're responsible for getting me that job?" Anastasia asked, worried.

"I guess I was responsible for getting rid of the person that opened the job for you, but no. I would have never chosen you for the job. You're only twenty-two."

Anastasia wasn't sure if she should take that offensively or not. She bit her lip and looked down at her wine glass. "If you don't think I'm capable, then why do you want me signing?"

"You surprised me, Miss Steele. You're great at what you do. I know you are more than capable now. Please sign, Anastasia."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anastasia asked.

Christian sighed. "We had a lot of kinks to work out. Ros didn't want to tell the employees until the day the public became aware, but I didn't want you to be shell shocked by the news or be overwhelmed by the media frenzy. I finally persuaded her to tell the employees. I couldn't tell only you… _that_ would start rumors if you had known before the others." Christian shrugged his shoulders and sat back, signaling that was all he had.

Anastasia stayed quiet for a moment, mulling it over in her head.

"Why haven't I heard from you in two weeks?" Anastasia asked.

"I was the last one to send a text, Anastasia. You never sent me one back and Mia mentioned that you were so busy that you hadn't even talked to her, so I left you alone. It was hard to stay away from you. I finally broke a couple days ago and made the excuse that I needed to visit today to talk about the contract. Really, I just wanted an excuse to see you."

Anastasia sat there quiet for a few moments. She took a sip of her wine and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" Christian asked, confused.

" _Yes_. I'll sign."

Christian made a sudden movement and his lips met hers, his hand on each side of her face. She yelped it surprise, her cries being muffled by his mouth. Her heart was drumming hard in her ears and she forced herself to relax her lips and react to his kiss. He slipped his fingers to the nape of her neck and pulled on her clip, making her hair fall along her shoulders. He threw it to the side and delved both of his hands deep in her hair.

He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, making her gasp and he used it to his advantage. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and started to massage her tongue with his. Anastasia let out a moan; the taste of the wine was still on his tongue.

Her left hand squeezed his thigh while her right was stuck holding her wine glass. She wished there was a way to get rid of without him noticing.

"Are you two done yet? I'm still here!" Mia whined from her spot on the floor.

Christian pulled away, scowling at his sister and Anastasia looked down at her glass, blushing profusely.

"Guess we have a couple more things to celebrate!" Mia grinned.

"A couple?" Anastasia asked.

"Yea! We're celebrating being rid of Sean and now there's the new job and then you two!" Mia explained.

"Celebrating? Was _that_ what we were doing? There was a lot of tears and whining for a celebration." Anastasia mentioned, making Mia scowl.

"Sean's gone?" Christian asked.

"Yes. He came over today screaming that we ruined both his and his brother's lives. He even blamed us for him getting kicked of med school. How would we do that?" Mia explained.

Christian sat back and licked his lips.

"Christian! What'd you do?" Anastasia asked.

"I just pointed out his record to the Dean and a few women came forward with complaints…the school didn't want any negative press if the story got out. They decided to be safe and un-enroll him from the program."

Anastasia sat there wide-mouthed. "You didn't!"

"I'm not going to allow him to take advantage of patients."

"Holy shit." Mia murmured.

XxXxXx

It took another half an hour of questions before the girls settled down. Mia turned on a movie and curled up on the love seat while Anastasia and Christian shared the couch. She knew that he probably wanted Mia to go home, but Anastasia felt safer with her there.

Christian noticed that Anastasia kept yawning and he moved behind her, placing a throw pillow at the end and sliding down the couch. Once he was laying down, he pressed himself against the back of the couch and leaned up on his elbow with his hand holding up his head.

"Lie down, baby." He whispered, patting the couch in front of him. She laid down on her back and he slipped his arm over her stomach, bending over and kissing her softly. "Sleep Ana."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're a cuddler?"

He shook his head. "No…but there's a first time for everything. I've never slept next to a woman either…but that seems like that's going to change, too." He whispered, making her grin.

She reached up and grabbed his neck, pulling his face down to hers. As they kissed, her other hand crept up to his chest and he grabbed it, entwining their fingers and placing them next to her head. He kissed her twice more and released her hand as he lowered his head down next to hers.

"Sleep, baby." He urged.

Anastasia turned so her back was to him and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her snug against him, and then moved her hair away from her neck so he could nuzzle into it. Anastasia drifted off soon after.

XxXxXx

Anastasia was startled awake by something bright.

"What was that?" Christian asked close to her ear, startling her.

"Huh?" Mia asked, turning the tableside lamp on. "What was what?"

"That light!"

"Oh, I dunno. Must have been the television." Mia answered.

Anastasia turned her head to look at Christian, knowing that Mia was up to something.

He leaned in and her eyes fluttered closed, his lips pressing against the bridge of her nose. She grinned and turned on her back, pressing her lips to his. He laid his head on the front of her shoulder and wrapped both arms around her. She nuzzled against his head and closed her eyes.

XxXxXx

Anastasia was awoken by Christian stirring.

"Grey." She heard him say groggily. He must be on the phone. "What?...Pictures?...TMZ?!" He looked up at Anastasia. "Get your phone out. Pull up TMZ!"

She reached for her phone on the coffee table and saw she had two missed calls from her friend, José and a text message. She ignored it and opened her internet browser.

Once she was on TMZ's site, she gasped. Four pictures of her and Christian were plastered on the front of the site.

 ** _'Billionaire Bachelor Christian Grey No Longer a Bachelor?'_**

 _'Infamous bachelor Christian Grey has always kept his love life private. Some were starting to wonder if the stunningly handsome bachelor was gay. To those who were wondering, his status is now out in the open thanks to his sister Mia Trevelyan Grey, who posted these on her Facebook with the caption 'My brother AND my best friend?! How much better can it get?!' The woman in the photo's seems to be Anastasia Steele, Editor of Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP). '_

Below were four photos. The first, Christian and Anastasia were sleeping. Her back was to him and he had his arm wrapped around her. Her hand was resting on his bicep and his nose was nuzzled in the crook of her neck.

The second, she had her head turned toward him, her eyes were closed and she was smiling while he kissed her nose.

The third, she had turned on her back and they were kissing, his hand spread out on her flat stomach.

And finally, the fourth was the two of them sleeping again, his head on her shoulder, both arms wrapped around her, while she nuzzled into his hair.

 _'It seems like this seemingly emotionless billionaire really does have a heart under all those high-end clothes he wears. Sorry ladies! Seems like your fantasies will be just that. Christian Grey is officially off the market. Good luck Anastasia Steele! If you don't need it with him, you will with the hoards of jealous women.'_

Anastasia sat there shocked. Christian read it over her shoulder.

"Mia! What the _fuck_! Do you think you could manage a few hours without fucking something up?" Christian growled, climbing over Anastasia and getting up.

"What'd I do?" Mia asked.

"What'd you do? How many times have I told you to keep me off of your Facebook page?" Christian's face was red with anger, a vein popping out of his neck. Composed Christian was now gone. He stomped into the kitchen, putting his phone to his ear.

Anastasia's phone vibrated and she looked down to see her friend, José, calling again.

"Hello?"

"Ana! What is going on? I don't hear from you for months and now I see you plastered on the internet with Christian Grey?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've been busy." Anastasia said, holding the phone to her ear while she braided her hair to the side, behind her left ear, and tied it with a tie that was sitting on the side table. She dropped her hair and it landed in front of her shoulder, at the breastline.

"I see that! Do you have any idea how Ray is going to take this once he finds out?" Jose asked, acidly.

Anastasia winced. Her dad was going to be so upset. "Shit. I'll have to call him in the morning. We didn't know these were taken until after you knew! It wasn't on purpose José."

She heard him sigh into the phone. "I'm sorry Anstasia. I'm just worked up. Are you coming to my gallery opening next week?"

She had forgotten all about it. "Oh! Of course. Hold on. Let me get a pen." She kneeled down in front of the coffee table and pulled a pen and a piece of paper our of the drawer. "Now what were the details again?"

She wrote down the date, time, and address of the event.

"May I bring a guest?" Anastasia asked, relaxing her arms on her legs.

"Er…I guess. I'd like to meet him…even though I already know he isn't good enough for you, Ana. You're dad can meet him, too...he's coming." José answered. Anastasia's stomach plummeted at the thought. She couldn't imagine Christian having much in common with either of them.

"Kate will be jealous that you're bringing a date. She and Will just broke up three weeks ago." José added.

"Wait! Kate is free? Hmm…" Anastasia's gears were turning. "May I bring two guests? I might have someone perfect for her!"

José laughed. "Sure, Ana. Who is it?"

"Christian's brother, Elliot. I'll have to make sure he can come. I'll text you later this week." Anastasia promised.

"You better. It's been way too long…man…you have a boyfriend…I never thought I'd see that, Steele." José was the only person besides her parents, Kate, and Christian who knew of her past. He thought she'd end up a nun.

Anastasia giggled. "Me either. Goodbye, José."

"Goodbye Ana. Good luck with the photos!" Oh yea…the article. She didn't want to deal with this.

She placed her phone on the coffee table and heard footsteps behind her. She turned on her knees and looked up at Christian, whose mouth went slack and eyes went dark. She frowned and placed her forearms on her legs, her fingers playing with her fingernails.

"Don't do that." He warned.

 _Don't do what?_ She looked down at her hands and stopped playing with her fingernails. She placed them on her knees and looked back up at him. That was an odd request.

He bent down a few inches and reached for the end of her braid, running it through his fingers. She looked up at him, not knowing what to say. She didn't know how to gauge his mood. Deciding she should say something, she wet her lips with the tip of her tongue and he suddenly stepped back, dropping her braid.

She watched as he took another step back and rubbed his face. "I've got to go…"

Anastasia paled and hurried to stand up. She felt punched in the gut. Maybe Christian never wanted this to be public at all and now he was embarrassed to be seen in photographs with her. Maybe he decided that she wasn't what he wanted at all. He wanted to leave…and what? Just pretend like the pictures never happened, that _they_ never happened?

"Don't look at me like that. You didn't do anything wrong. I just need to go. I'll explain after you sign." Anastasia realized he meant the NDA.

"Okay." She was definitely not going to push it at the moment. Especially with his sister still there.

She slowly stepped closer to him and he sucked in a breath, an almost painful look on his face. That look made her lose her nerve. She felt herself droop and she folded her arms over her stomach. She just wanted to go to bed and cry into her pillow.

"Goodnight, Christian." She said, moving to the side so he had a straight shot to the front door.

He licked his lips and furrowed his brow. "Don't be upset, baby. It's not you. Try to get some sleep." He swallowed thickly and went and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips before grabbing his shoes and hurrying out the door, not bothering to put them on first.

Anastasia stood there dazed and confused. "Mia…I'm going to bed. You can crash in the guest bed if you'd like."

Mia sat on the loveseat pale, her mascara smudged all over her face from crying. "I'm sorry, Ana…I was just happy."

"Goodnight, Mia." Anastasia said, padding down the hall and to the master bedroom.

Anastasia did not want to have to look at Mia…or be around her for that matter. She was always able to ignore her drama when the drama was with other people, but now that she was in the middle of it, she couldn't help but have a little hatefire for the girl.

She knew she couldn't go off on Mia, because she was Christian's sister and if they had any chance of having a relationship now, getting along would be important.

Was Mia really that daft or did she purposely _try_ to start drama? It seemed like drama followed her wherever she went. Anastasia liked the quiet life; she didn't have the patience to deal with Mia's incessant need for dramatics and attention. She had always seen Mia as this sweet, innocent, immature girl who didn't know better and now she was becoming someone that Anastasia could barely stand to be around.

The night was such a whirlwind with Christian. He is such an mysterious soul. His moods seemed to shift quickly; it was almost giving her whiplash. First he was flirty, then suductive, then playful, then serious, then affectionate and loving, and then by the end…well, she wasn't sure what all that was.

She wondered if he had a personality disorder. She really wanted to sign that paper just because her curiosity was getting the best of her. She knew that all of the Grey children were adopted and wondered if he had a bad childhood that scarred him for life. The thought made her chest ache. Elliot and Mia seemed okay enough…but then again, Mia was a baby and Elliot…well she didn't know his story, but he had no issues except keeping it in his pants.

She wondered if Christian would ever speak to her after tonight. She was dreading having to go back to work on Monday and having to see everyone.

Work…she sighed. If he decided not to pursue things, did that mean she was now out of a job? She closed her eyes and willed herself not to think about it.

As Anastasia started to doze off, she decided that if Christian and her somehow worked out, that she would work on the friendship with Mia. If he decided against it, then she wouldn't bother him or her and try to continue her life as normally as possible…even if that meant finding a job elsewhere.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Disclaimer- I own nothing and get paid for nothing.**

 **Updated 7/24/16**

Anastasia laid in bed the next morning, staring at her cell phone. She had just texted Elliot about Thursday and he told her he'd go. She had texted Elliot first, wanting to put off having to call her dad as long as she could. Now she had no excuse…she had to call Ray. She decided on the sweet routine, hoping it'd soften the blow.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Daddy."

She heard a sigh on the other line. "Hi, Annie."

"There's something I need to tell you."

"I think you're right."

Anastasia bit her lip. "I met a boy."

"No, Annie…you didn't. You skated right passed boys and met a man. One that's quite a bit older." Ray sounded annoyed.

Anastasia felt her cheeks heat up. "Only five years."

"I'm worried about you. After everything you've been through…"

"He's a good man, Daddy."

"How do you know that?"

Anastasia's heart dropped. She realized she didn't know. She was going to say he was good to her, but then his multiple moods came to mind on top of the mysterious past he had…so she settled on something else.

"He's very protective. He makes me feel safe."

"Do you _need_ protection? Wha _t are_ you doing up in Seattle?" Ray sounded a little alarmed.

"Nothing." Anastasia sighed. "There was this guy who got handsy and Christian pummeled him."

"So, he's quick to anger then?" Leave it to Ray to find the bad.

"No, this guy definitely deserved it. Christian cares, Dad." _I think_.

"I've done some research on this guy Annie. He doesn't seem to care for anyone, but himself. He seems like an arrogant asshole."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "He's just a very private person. It makes people think he's cold. He is a bit cocky…but he has reason to be. He's only twenty-seven and look at where he's at! I am more than capable of dealing with some cockiness."

"I just don't want you to get in too deep and not be able to get yourself out."

Anastasia's eyebrows knitted together. What did that mean? Her eyes widened in realization. She'd been on the shot for over a year. "I'm being careful."

"So…you're doing things worthy of being careful?"

"RAYMOND STEELE!" Anastasia admonished. Her whole face flushed.

Ray chuckled. "I _know_ what adults do Annie. That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Stop it." Anastasia did not want to have this talk.

"So, when do I get to meet this guy?"

"Maybe at José's opening, Thursday."

"You'll be there either way?" Ray asked, hopeful.

"Yes. I'll see you then...and Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't wear pants with holes in them." Anastasia finished.

Ray laughed. "Are you ashamed of your old man?"

"Not of _you_ …just of your pants."

"I promise I will wear my best jeans!"

Anastasia smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome baby girl. I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

Anastasia decided that she should get some tea and start to work on that mound of paperwork sitting on her kitchen table. On her way down the hall, she noticed that the living room was cleaned up and Mia's stuff was gone. She felt a bit relieved that she let herself out.

While submersed in her work that covered the table, she heard a ping from her phone. Searching for it in the sea of packets and folders, she found it and opened it.

 _*Good morning, Miss Steele. You okay?*_

 _Good morning_? It was nearly eleven o'clock…and that's all he's going to say? _Was she okay_? How was she supposed to feel after he hightailed it out of there the night before?

 _*Hello, Mr. Grey. I had to tame my father this morning via phone call and I am now sitting at my kitchen table buried in work. I'm sure that once I find my table again, I will be okay. What about you?*_

 _*Your boss's boss is telling you to take a break. My morning was dismal, but it seems to be getting better by the second.*_

 _*I haven't signed anything yet, Mr. Grey.*_

 _*No, you haven't. You sealed it with something much better than a signature, Miss Steele.*_

Anastasia blushed. At least he was being playful this morning. _*I believe it was you that was in such a hurry to seal the deal.*_

 _*If I remember correctly, Miss Steele, you were more than accommodating.*_

Anastasia bit her lip as the memory of his soft lips on hers came flooding back. _*Do you use this form of sealing an agreement often with your employees Mr. Grey?*_

 _*No. Another first Anastasia.*_

 _*Better be the first and the last.*_

 _*Jealousy, Miss Steele?*_

 _*I should state that I'm only interested in monogamous relationships.*_

 _*Me too, Anastasia. You are already aware that I don't like to share. You are mine and mine only.*_

So, he was staking his claim. Anastasia wasn't sure how she felt about it.

 _*And the same goes for you?*_

 _*Yes.*_

Anastasia grinned. "All mine." She said to herself. Maybe staking claim wasn't _that_ terrible…even though it did make him sound possessive. _Hell_ , she felt possessive. She wanted to take a stamp and stamp his forehead with 'Ana's. Hands off!' She giggled at the thought.

 _*So…last night? You didn't run off because you were embarrassed of me?*_

 _*Oh, Ana. How can you think that? I would never be embarrassed of you. It isn't the reason why I left.*_

Anastasia frowned.

 _*Then what was? Did I do something?*_

 _*Nothing you are aware of. I needed an emergency session with Dr. Flynn.*_

Anastasia's mouth dropped open. _Geez_ …how much did he have to pay for that? She definitely needed more information, but she knew she needed to get through Christian meeting her father and friends first. She began to type the message and then thought better of it and hit the call button. At least now she maybe could hear what his reaction would be.

"Grey!" He snapped.

"Oh! Um…" Anastasia was taken aback by his response.

"Ana?" Christian sounded surprised.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. How lovely to hear your voice, Miss Steele."

 _Didn't realize_? How hard was it to look at caller ID? More whiplash mood changes.

"I was just calling…well, I wanted to see if you'd like to accompany me on Thursday…my friend, José, is having a gallery opening in Portland and I'm going." Anastasia bit her lip.

"Thursday?"

"Yes. I understand you are a very busy man and a gallery opening is probably not something you want to do even if you are free…so if you aren't interested, I get it." Anastasia said quickly, getting redder by the minute. Maybe she should have just texted him.

Christian chuckled. "You sound so nervous, Anastasia. Why?"

She sighed. "My dad will be there…and he wants to interrogate you."

"I see."

Anastasia raised both her eyebrows. What kind of response was that?

"I'll let them know you couldn't come." Anastasia suddenly grinned, an idea coming to her. "I'll just call and let Elliot know it'll be just the two of us."

"If you think for one minute that I would allow you to travel in a vehicle alone for that period of time with my brother, you are sadly mistaken-"

"Allow?"

"-Besides, Miss Steele, I never said I wouldn't go."

Anastasia grinned. "So you'll go?" She asked, hopefully.

"Yes, baby. I'll go. Consider it our first date."

Anastasia sighed. "Thank you."

"You are mine now, Miss Steele. Your interests are now my interests. I want to enjoy them together."

Anastasia grinned. "Me too. So Thursday?"

"Yes, Anastasia. Thursday."

"It's a date. Goodbye, Christian."

"Laters, baby."

Anastasia sat there with the phone to her ear, even after he hung up, shell shocked. _Laters baby?_ That was so unexpected, but made her feel giddy for some reason.

She forced herself back into her work, but was sidetracked again not even five minutes later by her phone going off.

 _*BTW we aren't driving Thursday. Charlie Tango is a go.*_

 _*What's a Charlie Tango?*_

 _*My helicopter.*_

 _Oh_! This was news…she wasn't sure why she was surprised. He had more money than God…of course he'd have his own helicopter. He probably had his own jet and yacht too! She rolled her eyes at the thought.

 _*Gallery opens at 7. What time should I tell Elliot we're leaving?*_

 _*Elliot? He's really going?*_

 _*Yes Christian! I wouldn't lie.*_

 _*Why on Earth would you ask him?*_

 _*I have a hot, blonde friend that I want to introduce him to. Eyes to yourself, Mr. Grey.*_

 _*I prefer brunettes. Taylor will pick you up at 5:45. I will tell Elliot myself.*_

Anastasia giggled and saluted her phone. _*Yes, Sir.*_

XxXxXx

Anastasia sat in bed that night, staring at her phone. She and Christian hadn't communicated since noon and she had the compulsion to do so for the past hour, but didn't want to seem so needy. They barely knew each other and they were brand new. After a few more minutes, the compulsion finally overtook her and she opened their conversation.

 _*Going to bed now, Mr. Grey. Goodnight.*_

…There. That didn't seem needy… _right_? What could a goodnight hurt?

 _*Sweet dreams, baby.*_

Ana smiled and slid down in bed. That was enough of a Christian fix to get her to sleep. At least now she knew she was on his mind.

There was another ping.

 _*…preferably of me. X*_

Anastasia could not contain her squeal. A flirt _and_ a kiss. Yes…she definitely got her Christian fix.

 _*I don't think that request will be too hard to fulfill. X*_

Ana grinned and plugged her phone in, setting it down on her nightstand.

XxXxXx

By Monday morning, Anastasia's stomach was in knots. She dreaded going out in public after what had happened. She was worried that her coworkers would treat her differently or even begin to dislike her since Christian was the boss.

When she hit the sidewalk in front of the building there were half a dozen photographers calling out her name. She froze for a moment, completely startled and they started to move in on her.

She looked down at the ground, wrapping her arms around herself and hurried through towards the door. SIP security met her halfway to the door and escorted her in the rest of the way.

"Miss Steele? Are you okay?"

Anastasia smiled up at the broad shouldered, bald, black man who was part of security.

"Yes, thank you, Darius. I don't know why you won't call me Ana." She had been trying to get him to call her by her first name since she was eighteen. He always refused.

"Let us know if you need anything, Miss Steele. Jeff is manning the backdoor. You're safe." Jeff had blonde, spiky hair, a thick neck, and a very fake tan.

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "Did Mr. Grey put you up to this."

Darius grinned at her, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "It is our duty to protect the employees. No matter what orders we might have been given, I would still be here."

She rolled her eyes and continued in further.

"Good morning, Olivia."

Olivia smiled at her. "Good morning, Miss Steele. Have a good weekend?" Her eyes danced in amusement.

Anastasia laughed. "Some parts were better than others."

The phone rang and Benjamin, who was sitting next to Olivia at reception, picked it up.

Olivia giggled at Anastasia's response. "May I get you some tea, Miss Steele?"

"That sounds lovely, thank you!"

She heard Benjamin say, "Yes, Sir. She just got in." He held out the receiver.

"Miss Steele, Mr. Grey wants to speak to you."

Anastasia sighed. "Of course he does." She smiled at Benjamin and took the phone.

"Anastasia Steele."

"Good morning, Miss Steele."

"Good morning, Mr. Grey."

"I just wanted to check and make sure you got to work alive. You weren't answering your cell phone." Christian said.

"I haven't made it to my desk to check yet _Mr._ _Grey_. I assume that you wouldn't have wanted me to check my phone while operating a motor vehicle?" Anastasia teased.

"Sassy so early in the morning, Miss Steele! Maybe I should march over there and take you over my knee."

Anastasia grinned. "So, sprinkles are back on the table, are they?"

Christian chuckled. "My palm is twitching Anastasia."

Anastasia gasped and then laughed. "Is it now?"

"That it is. Maybe faxing over your paperwork would ease my twitchy palm a bit."

"Oh, yes! Thank you for reminding me. I'll have Benjamin fax it." Anastasia went through the mound of papers she sat on the desk and handed the contract to Benjamin.

"Please fax this to Mr. Grey's office."

"Yes, Miss Steele."

"Okay, Mr. Grey. It's being sent."

"Thank you, Miss Steele. I'll have Andrea watch for it."

Anastasia waited a moment and then laughed. "You can hang up now, Christian."

She heard his deep laugh come through the phone, giving her shivers down her spine. "You hang up."

"Hang up on my boss? Never!" Anastasia teased, grinning.

"Okay, Anastasia. I'll do it."

"Okay." A few seconds of silence went by, but no click. "Christian!"

His deep laugh reverberated through the phone again.

 _"Honestly!_ I'll just have Benjamin do it!" Anastasia handed him the phone and watched as he placed it back on the receiver.

XxXxXx

"Anastasia!" Elizabeth Morgan, the Senior Editor, snapped as Anastasia walked by her office.

Anastasia stepped in and saw she looked angry. Time to pull the sweet card. "Yes, Miss Morgan?"

"Are you finished with the newest manuscripts?!"

"Almost. Give me until lunch and I'll have them done." Anastasia smiled.

Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her temples. _"Miss Steele_ …you had all weekend to finish them. I don't understand why you think _anything_ is more important than keeping your job! We don't pay you salary so that you can sleep all weekend when there is work to be done! If you can't keep up with the work load then I will pull you back to hourly and make you an assistant!"

Anastasia scowled at Elizabeth, her teeth grinding together. "I _apologize_." She forced herself to say, even though her blood was beginning to boil.

"I want them finished and on my desk by 10:30, Anastasia or you'll find yourself put on probation. Do I make myself clear?" Elizabeth looked at her over her glasses, her hands steepled together in front of her.

 _"Crystal,_ Elizabeth..."

Anastasia was fuming on the way back to her office. Never had Elizabeth spoken to her in that manner. She knew it was because of Christian and that just made her even angrier. She looked at the clock and realized she only had a little over an hour to finish. Life was definitely not going how she wanted.

At 10:36, Anastasia rushed into her office, the manuscripts in her hand.

"I'm here Elizabeth! They are done!" She dropped them down on the side of the L shaped desk.

"I am in the middle of a video conference, Anastasia!" Elizabeth snapped.

Anastasia's eyes went to the computer screen and saw Christian's face. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll just…" Anastasia pointed her thumb toward the door and took a step back. When she did, her heel got caught on a cord and she fell on her backside on the floor with an "Oomph!"

"Ana!" Christian yelled from the computer scream.

"Anastasia! Are you alright?" Elizabeth jumped out of her seat and kneeled down next to her.

Anastasia sat there with her hands covering her face. "Oh Elizabeth, I'm _sorry_! I'm having a rough day." Anastasia looked down at her shoe and saw that the heel was broken. "Oh no! _Honestly_!" Anastasia pulled off her shoes and stood up.

"Mr. Grey…Elizabeth…again, I am so sorry. I will just be leaving."

"Miss Steele…are you alright?" Christian asked, his brow furrowed.

"Oh, yes. I just…tripped on a cord. Sorry to interrupt your meeting." Anastasia walked out as calmly as she could, trying to hang on to her last thread of dignity.

She collapsed in her chair and she buried her face on her arms that were folded on the desk. She felt like a complete idiot. Not only had she barged in on a private meeting, but she fell right on her ass in front of both of her bosses and broke a shoe on top of it! They were her pair of Nine West nude pumps; _her favorite pair_! How was she supposed to get to her car now? That's all she needed was the photographers to see her roaming the streets barefoot.

After convincing herself she wasn't going to cry, she went through her emails, deciding she'd ask Olivia to grab her some shoes a bit later. She hated asking for things like that from Olivia, but at this point she didn't have a choice.

Around lunch, Olivia knocked on her door and held out a box. Anastasia's brow furrowed. She hadn't asked Olivia yet.

"Some man in a suit asked me to give this to you." Olivia set the box down on her desk and Anastasia noticed the box was wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. There was a card on top. Olivia sat in one of the chairs across from Anastasia, smiling.

"What does it say?" Olivia asked, giddy.

Anastasia looked down at it. "I present this gift to you, hoping to make your bad day a little more bearable."

Olivia squealed. "Open it!"

Anastasia couldn't help, but laugh at Olivia's excitement. She pulled on the string and pulled off the box top covered in brown paper. Inside was a pair of nude pumps. The pumps had red bottoms.

 _"No_!" Anastasia gasped, her eyes wide. She grabbed the box and started to rip off the paper.

"Are those Louboutin's Miss Steele?" Olivia's eyes lit up.

Indeed, they were. The box stated that they were called 'Dorrisima'.

"Can I?" Olivia asked. Anastasia gave consent. Olivia picked up the shoe and examined it. "What brought this on?"

"Oh! Um…"

Olivia shook her head and placed the shoe back in the box. "I'm sorry, Miss Steele, that isn't my business."

"No, Olivia…it's fine. I went into Miss Morgan's office to give her some things and I accidentally barged in on a video conference she was having with Mr. Grey and when I tried to leave, I fell and broke my heel." Anastasia felt her cheeks heat up.

Olivia winced. "Ouch."

"Yes. Very embarrassing." Anastasia held up the broken shoe and they both started giggling. "It's actually quite ridiculous, isn't it?"

Olivia shrugged. "You went from an $70 pair of shoes to a $700…can't be all bad, can it Miss Steele?"

Ana sighed. "I think it's time you call me Ana…and I can't accept these…"

Her cell phone rang and she hurried to answer.

"Anastasia Steele."

"Did Taylor bring you your gift?"

"Yes. Christian…they're _incredible_ …but I can't accept them." Anastasia was in love with the shoes, but they were too much. She always admired all of Mia's shoes from afar, but she could never afford her own and knew she never would. She wasn't going to allow a man, who happened to also be her boss, to send such expensive gifts to work.

"Ana, your shoeless! You will keep the shoes."

"No, Christian…they're too much."

"You don't like them?"

"No…I love them, but they're too much."

"You deserve them, baby. Your feet deserve to be in Louboutin's. I know you like his shoes. I've seen you ogle Mia's feet when she wears hers."

He's noticed? How much has he noticed that she wasn't aware of? "Christian…"

"No, Anastasia. You're keeping them. End of discussion. Just please try not to kill yourself. I wouldn't appreciate another man getting a peek of that pink lacy number under that skirt of yours."

Anastasia gasped, her cheeks reddening. That last thread of dignity she thought she had after leaving the office with, suddenly frayed and disintegrated. She didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.

"Why did you come barging into her office? Why were those manuscripts so important that you felt the need to almost kill yourself?"

Anastasia sighed. "I'd rather not talk about it Christian."

"Ana…are you alright? Is something going on?"

"No, Sir. Everything is fine. I need to be going, Olivia is here. Thank you for the shoes. It's nice knowing I don't have to wander Seattle barefoot." Anastasia smiled.

"Miss Steele…you better never wander Seattle…shoeclad or otherwise. It isn't safe."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I was just _teasing_ , Christian! I do need to go, though. Laters baby."

Christian laughed. "Bye baby."


	7. Chapter 7

**Someone asked for a lemon, so I compromised and put in a bit of a lime. I'm not completely happy with this chapter, but I'm going to post it anyway and maybe just revise it later. I was having a hard time writing this one, so I hope it's not a complete flop chapter. Let me know what you think!**

 **Updated: 7/24/16. I added more** **José in this one.**

On Thursday after work, Anastasia was standing in a towel in her bedroom, staring at her closet. She couldn't decide what to wear and Taylor would be there in twenty minutes. Her stomach was in knots…she felt like an emotional wreck.

Her phone vibrated on her dresser.

"Hello?"

"I'm here, baby. I'm at the door."

"Oh! You're early! Um…are you alone?" Anastasia looked down at herself as she made her way to the living room.

"Yes…why?"

The door opened and he stepped in, not seeing Anastasia. She quickly shut the door and turned to him, grasping her towel tightly, worried it'd slip.

"Holy _shit_ , Ana."

She blushed. "You're early…"

"You're naked."

Anastasia blushed further. "I couldn't decide what to wear."

Christian made his way over to her and placed his hands on her arms and rubbed them up and down. "Wear that sweet little green dress you wore to my parents. It'll look lovely with this." He mentioned, pulling on the end of her braid. Anastasia had opted to wear a side braid for the occasion; she didn't want to have to fight trying to get her hair to do something.

She grinned up at him. "I think I will, thank you." She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his, before heading towards the hall. On her way past him he leaned forward and gave her a playful whop on her towel-clad behind.

"Christian!" She squeaked, looking over her shoulder.

He grinned and shrugged. "Couldn't help it."

She reappeared from her bedroom seven minutes later in her mint, a-line eyelet dress that reached her knees. She slipped into her new Louboutin's and Christian smirked.

"You like?"

"I love." Anastasia corrected, coming over and kissing him again. "Thank you again. They're my new favorites."

Christian slipped his arms around her and smiled down at her. "They look perfect on you. We might have to get you some more."

Anastasia narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "No. Christian, you will not."

He grinned. "We'll see."

"Yes. We will." Anastasia said.

"Are you challenging me, Miss Steele?" He raised an eyebrow and squeezed her closer.

"I believe you are the one that's challenging, Christian."

"So infuriating!" He growled and grabbed the back of her neck, kissing her hard. Her hands slipped into his hair and his kiss softened. He slid the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip, coaxing her mouth open. When she gave him access, he explored her mouth, massaging her tongue with his. A whimper escaped her lips and he bent down and grabbed her backside, lifting her. She wrapped her legs around him and began to massage his scalp with her fingertips while their tongues battled for dominance. He deposited them both on to the couch, Ana on her back and Christian falling on top of her, catching himself on his elbows before he crushed her. He finally released her lips and trailed open-mouth kisses down her jaw and neck, nipping lightly as he went. "So. Sweet." He groaned between kisses.

Anastasia felt like her body was on fire. She had never been so turned on before. She knew that she should stop, but she didn't want to. She didn't care that they barely knew each other. Christian made her body come alive and she wanted to be with him.

His hand went to her knee and slid upward until he hit her panties, his hand resting against the soft material on her hip. His hand rose a little higher and rested against her stomach, his thumb rubbing circles over her navel.

"Mmm, Ana, so soft." He murmured against her neck. She felt her hips automatically raise, pushing her stomach harder against his fingers and gasped when she felt his erection against her inner thigh.

"Feel what you do to me, baby." He whispered against her ear before running her earlobe through his teeth and pressing himself against her again.

She moaned and wiggled underneath him, trying to find friction where she needed it.

"Easy, baby. Stay still. You're going to unman me." He said quietly while he ran his hand down her stomach, his fingers trailing to the fabric between her legs. He groaned. "You're soaked Ana. Your panties are already wet. So ready, baby." He nuzzled her neck and his fingers pressed against the fabric, putting pressure against her clit.

"Christian…" She gasped, her hips rising, urging him on.

"Mmm…tell me, Ana baby. Tell me what you want." He ran his nose down the length of hers.

"I…"

Christian's phone went off, ruining the moment. "Fuck. I bet it's Taylor."

He pulled his hand from under her dress, grabbed his phone, and answered.

"WHAT?"

Anastasia watched him as she panted below him, trying to calm herself down.

"Yes…Okay. We're coming." Christian shoved his phone back in his pocket and stood up. "We're going to be late if we don't leave now. Elliot is already at my place." He offered his hand and he pulled her up, wrapping his arms around her once she was upright. He kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless once again. "So sweet. I can't wait…but we need to go."

She nodded, not trusting her voice, as he took her hand and followed him out, grabbing her handbag on the way.

XxXxXx

"Ana!" Elliot met them at the top of the building where Charlie Tango was sitting. He picked her up and flung her in a circle.

Once he placed her back on the ground, he took a step back and opened his arms. "So…how do I look? Think that hot blonde will like?"

Anastasia laughed. "Her name is Kate and yes, she'll eat you up."

Elliot winked. "I sure hope so."

Christian looped an arm around her waist. "Enough. Let's go. Elliot, you're in back."

Anastasia wasn't sure if she felt comfortable sitting with Elliot in the back, but Christian wouldn't be too far away.

When they reached the helicopter, Christian opened the front passenger side door. "Hop in. Sit. Don't touch anything."

Anastasia hid her smirk. "Yes, sir." She wanted to tell him that her feet were touching the floor, but thought better of it. She couldn't really gauge his mood and he seemed annoyed with Elliot. She was starting to regret Elliot being there. If he was going to make Christian grouchy, it was going to be a long night.

She was starting to wonder why she was going to be stuck in front with someone she didn't know, until she watched Christian climb in.

"You're flying?" She asked, surprised.

He gave her a boyish smile while he leaned over and started to buckle her in to her four-point harness. She watched him as he did so. He tightened it and she was surprised at how confined she felt; she could barely move.

He leaned in and kissed her. "No escaping now."

Anastasia cocked an eyebrow. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked tying me down."

He winked at her and climbed into the captain's chair.

"Are you done? I've got a hot blonde waiting for me in Portland. Let's get cracking!" Elliot said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together.

XxXxXx

"Christian…that was incredible!" Anastasia said giddily, grabbing his hand on the way to the SUV that was waiting for them.

He chuckled and pulled her to him, kissing her temple while his hand rested on her hip, escorting her to the SUV. "Glad you enjoyed it."

Christian helped her in. "Slide all the way over, baby." He told her as he followed her in. She noticed Elliot climb in behind him and realized that Christian did this so she wouldn't be between them. She wasn't sure if he was trying to be kind since she was uncomfortable with men or if his jealousy had something to do with it.

Anastasia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The helicopter ride was a welcome distraction to her anxiety, but now that they were on ground she started to get nervous about Christian meeting her father.

Sensing her unease, Christian placed his hand on her knee and squeezed. "Don't worry." He told her quietly. She watched his face and saw that he already had his poker face on. His eyes were hard like they were the first night he spoke to her.

She hated seeing his face so hard. She felt like he was pulling away from her and retreating into himself. In an effort to get him to soften, she picked up the hand that was on her knee and kissed the back of it.

"My sweet Ana." He scooted over against her and put his arm around her. She lifted her head and looked up at him, her head resting on his shoulder. She loved taking him in; her beautiful Christian Grey. She could stare at him all day.

She watched his adam's apple as he swallowed and she leaned up and kissed it. She watched goosebumps form over his neck and watched him shiver. She grinned and looked out her window.

"Don't look so smug, Miss Steele."

She let out a laugh. "I like pulling reactions from the stoic Mr. Grey."

He chuckled and she could feel his chest vibrate against her shoulder. It made her want to tear his shirt off and explore.

"I think you did a mighty fine job of that earlier today, Anastasia."

She gasped. "Christian!" Her face flushed.

"She finally pop your cherry, little bro?" Elliot teased, earning him an elbow jab to the ribs from Christian.

"Ah...your silence says it all." Elliot wiggled his eyebrows at Christian.

"I will not reply to something so crass and meritless."

"Loosen up man!"

Anastasia stayed quite and tried to ignore the brothers as she looked out her window.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination and Anastasia climbed out as fast as she could. The tension between Christian and Elliot was evident. She could tell that they had to fight to keep a relationship; they were just too different.

Christian took her hand and Elliot threw his arm over her shoulders, grinning broadly. "Let's do this!"

Anastasia could feel her legs shaking as Christian pulled her out of Elliot's grasp. She put an arm around Christian's waist to steady herself and he squeezed her to him. "Hey…calm down. You're trembling." He whispered into her ear.

She nodded and swallowed thickly as they made their way into the building.

"Ana!" José came running toward her and she let go of Christian to hug him. José squeezed her tight and held on. "I've missed you. You've been gone too long."

"I know…I'm sorry." Anastasia squeezed him back. Growing up, he was the only male that she felt comfortable around beside Ray and his arms felt like home.

Christian cleared his throat and José released her. Christian took no time wrapping an arm around her and staring José down.

"José…this is Christian and Elliot Grey. Christian…Elliot, this is José Rodriguez."

They made their pleasantries…that really weren't all that pleasant between Christian and José… and Kate came in the front door. "Kavanagh!"

"Steele!"

Anastasia wrapped her in a hug and steered her toward Elliot. "Kate…this is Elliot Grey."

"Hello Mr. Grey!" Kate grinned, looking him up and down.

"Miss Kavanagh…you look lovely…" Elliot took her hand and kissed it before twirling her once. "That dress is incredible."

"We'll leave you to it…" Anastasia mentioned pulling Christian away.

"What do you want to bet he isn't coming home tonight?" Christian murmured quietly.

Anastasia laughed. "Oh, I guarantee it." Kate had told her the night before that she was spending the whole day at the spa, getting everything plucked, waxed, massaged, and tightened.

XxXxXx

"He really is talented." Christian mentioned while walking through the gallery.

"He is. You can see the love he…holy shit." Anastasia stopped in her tracks.

Christian looked towards the spot where Ana was looking. On the far wall hung seven pictures of Anastasia, all showing different emotions.

"Why didn't he tell me…" Anastasia asked as her legs carried her over.

"Excuse me. I'll be right back." Christian disappeared and her stomach lurched. She hoped he wasn't going to José to say something ridiculous.

"Annie?"

"Dad!"

She hurried to him and he squeezed her close. "I've missed you lovebug."

"Me too, Dad." She grinned up at him.

"Did you come alone?" He asked, refusing to let her go.

"No, Christian just stepped away for a moment."

Ray held her out at arms length and looked at her. "You look thin, Anastasia…are you okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. Just a stressful new job. I forget to eat."

"How does one forget to eat? I might forget I've already eaten and eat again…" He teased.

Anastasia's eye caught Christian coming towards them. "Ah, here he comes. Please, play nice Daddy."

"I can't promise anything, Annie." He stepped forward and held out his hand. "Raymond Steele. You must be Christian?"

Christian nodded and shook his hand. "Yes, sir. Nice to meet you."

"Firm handshake…not a pansy then…" Ray noted.

"DAD!" Anastasia turned red.

"Annie, baby…why don't you have a look around while I take this young man for a walk? José! Come keep Annie company!" Ray called.

Anastasia met Christian's eyes and saw them narrow, his jaw set. He was not happy. She looked down at her knotted fingers, feeling like a child in trouble even though she didn't have any control over it.

She saw Christian's feet make their way over to her and she looked up at him. "Listen…I'm sorry…I…"

"Hush. Don't worry. We'll be right back." He reached for her hips and leaned down to kiss her lips. "I really could use your couch right now." He added, whispering in her ear.

She gasped and looked up at him and he winked before heading toward her dad. So, that was how he decided to handle his jealousy. Remind her of that so that she could barely concentrate on José.

"How are you liking it, Ana?" José asked once they were gone.

She held out her hand towards her pictures. "Why didn't you tell me?"

José reddened. "Er…yea…I forgot."

"You forgot? José! They're freaking huge! It's embarrassing!" Anastasia crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry Ana…but they're popular! I was told that they've all been sold already." José grinned.

"You're telling me that random people are going to have me hanging up in their house?" Anastasia wasn't happy. It creeped her out.

"No…just one."

"Someone bought all seven? Who…ugh! I'll kill him!" Anastasia scowled, looking around for the culprit.

"He's already paid, so do as you must!" José said, holding his hands up.

"Why did you do this?"

"Because, Ana. You're my muse. I can't help that camera loves you. You have this natural beauty that other girls only dream of having." José smiled.

"Are you trying to butter me up, Mr. Rodriguez?" Anastasia asked, with her hands on her hip.

He gave her a boyish grin and shrugged. "Maybe."

She scowled at him and his grin widened, making her crack a smile. "You are just terrible!" She pushed his shoulder lightly. "If I wasn't so proud of you right now, you might have forced me to go all ninja on you."

"Oh, really, Steele? Bring it on!" He put his hands up, palms out and she doubled her fists and punched at his hands.

"Hey! No fighting now!" Ray's voice called out.

"She started it!" José said, pointing.

"ME? You are sadly mistaken, Mr. Rodriguez!" Anastasia giggled, grabbing his finger and pulling it back.

"HEY! Don't make me put you in separate corners like I use to have to do!" Ray puffed his chest out and placed his hands on his hips, in mock threat.

They both stepped back, holding their hands out in front of them.

Ray chuckled and shook his head. "I miss you being home, Annie. José needs a good ass kicking every once in awhile."

She grinned and looked up at Christian, who was standing to the side, looking anything but amused. Her smile dropped and she bit her lip. "Uh...Daddy...I think we're going to finish the rest of the walk...I'll talk to you later, okay?"

XxXxXx

"Why aren't we taking Charlie Tango back?" Anastasia asked as they climbed into the SUV that now had Taylor sitting in the driver's seat. Elliot had disappeared with Kate during the gallery.

"Because I enjoy your company, Miss Steele…I want to speak with you."

Anastasia's face lit up. "You have the NDA?"

"No, Anastasia…that'll be tomorrow night."

She grinned. "Really?"

"You seem rather excited about it, Anastasia…I assure you, you won't be feeling that way after we talk." Christian squeezed her hand, his face was pulled down into a frown.

"Christian…Why are you so worried?"

She noticed the 'V' on his forehead deepening. "I might lose you. You might run."

"There are very few things that could make me run, Christian."

He looked out his window, looking miserable. "Christian…stop this. If you aren't going to tell me now then stop acting like this. I have a bone to pick with you anyway."

He turned to look at her.

"José told me my photos are sold."

"Are they?"

"Christian! Don't play stupid."

"I'm not about to let any other man to ogle you whenever he wants. It's bad enough that José has the negatives." Christian told her matter-of-factly.

"So, you just buy all seven? What are you going to do with them?" Anastasia was annoyed.

"Hang them up."

"And if we break up?"

Christian eyes widened and saddened, making her heart ache. "Then I'd definitely be glad I bought them. Anastasia…"

"Yes?"

He sighed and shook his head. "Nothing. You'd rather some stranger have them than me?"

Anastasia looked down at her hands. "No, of course not."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's just annoying that you can throw your money and power around and just get what you want all the time!" Anastasia smacked her thighs in exasperation.

"I like control, Ana. I need to be able to control my surroundings. I need to be the alpha."

"You're a control freak, then? …You need to feel dominant?" Anastasia worked out aloud.

"Absolutely." Christian nodded. "You amaze me, Ana…so close, yet you have no idea."

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

Christian changed the subject. "So, Ray seems like a good man."

Anastasia smiled. "Yes. What'd you talk about?"

"You."

"Well, I figured that…" Anastasia rolled her eyes.

"Don't. You make my palm twitch when you do that and it's already been twitching most of the night." Christian warned.

"Has it? Why?" Anastasia was intrigued.

"You mean, besides the fact that you were openly flirting with José?"

"Christian! I told you! It isn't like that with us! He's like my brother."

Christian ignored her. "Your father said you've lost weight….that you told him your job is stressful and you forget to eat." Christian raised an eyebrow.

"That's true." She nodded. "I'm just busy and don't realize how much time goes by."

"You must eat Ana. I will not have you wasting away and getting sick because of work. If you can't handle it…"

"I can handle it Christian!" Anastasia said, annoyed that he was jumping to conclusions.

"Then you will eat properly. Your father said you've probably lost ten pounds since your graduation. I will see that you gain it back."

Anastasia stared open-mouthed. "What are you going to do? Tie me down and force feed me? Don't be ridiculous. I will eat, but I will not eat in excess."

"That's exactly what I will do if you don't start eating." Christian nodded.

"You don't have control over what I eat! It isn't your business, Christian!" Anastasia was fuming.

"Your health is my business and if I have to, I will control it. I promised your father I would make sure you're taken care of. I intend to keep my promise, Anastasia." Christian gave her a stern look.

She huffed and slipped her shoes off, pulling her knees up against her, hugging them. Her forehead went against her knees and she closed her eyes, trying to control her anger.

Christian unclasped his seatbelt and slid over to her. "Hey…" His tone was soft as he wrapped his arms around her back and knees and kissed her temple. "I didn't mean to be so sharp with you. I just want you to be healthy. Knowing that you're wasting away because of a company I own is too much to bare."

Ana stayed still and refused to speak or acknowledge him. "You are the most infuriating woman I have ever come across, Ana Steele." Christian unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her into his lap, moving over into her seat.

She didn't say anything, but didn't fight him either. Even though he was being a controlling Neanderthal, she still loved being in his arms; being in his lap was even better. She was surrounded by Christian: his warmth, his smell, his comfort. She wrapped the arm that wasn't pinned between the two of them, around his neck and her face hid in the crook of it. She took a deep breath and breathed him in.

It automatically calmed her and she suddenly felt extremely needy. "Can I stay tomorrow night?" She asked quietly, muffled against his neck. "After the NDA?"

Christian smiled and squeezed her tighter. "If you still want to after we talk, yes. You are always welcome to stay."

They rode in silence for a few minutes and she was almost asleep when Christian spoke again. "I hate fighting, Ana. Let's not fight anymore."

"K." She said, her drowsiness evident in her voice. The emotional day had caught up with her and now that it was all off her shoulders, she felt exhausted. She still wanted to know what he and Ray talked about, but it could wait.

"Sleep baby. I've got you." Christian whispered, kissing her ear.

XxXxXx

Anastasia woke up when Christian laid her on her bed and started to shimmy her dress up.

She gasped and the drowsiness subsided, her senses sharpening. She sat up quickly. "Christian…what are you doing?"

"Sh…it's okay. I'm just getting you dressed for bed."

She relaxed at the realization. "I'll do it. I'm up now."

"Arms up."

"Christian…"

"Let me take care of you. Arms up." When she just stared at him, he added, "Now, Anastasia!"

Her arms automatically shot up, surprising her. Her face must have given her away cause Christian chuckled as he pulled on her dress.

"So, you are capable of listening."

She smirked. "Sometimes."

Christian turned to go through her drawers. She felt air on her bare stomach and she tried covering herself with her arms.

When he returned with a cotton nightgown he frowned. "This won't do." He pulled her arms away from her body. "Anastasia….you're beautiful. Never be ashamed of your body."

She blushed and looked down.

"Arms up, Anastasia."

She looked back up at him and did as she was told. Once he slipped it over her head, he reached behind her and unsnapped her bra.

She slipped the straps down and hung it on her nightstand knob.

Christian pulled down the duvet and sheet and padded the bed. "Get in."

She rolled her eyes and climbed over. "You're treating me like I'm five."

Christian retorted with an eye roll of his own. "There's nothing wrong with being spoiled every once in awhile. You work hard and take care of everyone. I want to take care of you." He pulled the duvet up to her shoulders and bent over to kiss her goodnight.

"Please stay."

He looked at her for a moment. "You really want me to?"

"Yes. Cuddle with me."

He reached for his phone and hit a number. "Taylor…go ahead and go home…No, I'll take Miss Steele to work tomorrow and take hers."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow.

"We have to be at my parents for my dad's party tomorrow. I'll pick you up and we'll go straight there."

Anastasia completely forgot. She felt her heart drop. Did that mean the NDA was out of the question now?

"We'll go to my place after and we'll talk. That way you have your car if you decide to run." He explained further, seeming to read her mind.

She eyed him up and down. "You're very overdressed for bed, Mr. Grey."

He gave her his boyish smile and slipped out of his shoes, emptying his pockets onto the nightstand before pulling off his shirt. Anastasia stared, open-mouthed while he popped the button open on his pants ad sliding them down his legs, pulling them off with his socks.

Christian Grey was an Adonis. His body was incredible and she found herself pressing her thighs together and closing her eyes to keep her wits about her.

He climbed into bed. "You okay?"

"I'll be okay after I sign that ridiculous NDA."

He turned on his side, facing her and propped himself up on his elbow. "Are you giving me permission to buy condoms?" He asked, rubbing her stomach.

Anastasia blushed and bit her lip. "Well…I…um…I'm on birth control…"

Christian looked floored. "Really? Why?"

"I'm on the shot so I have less periods and I'm protected…you know...in case."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "It's taking everything in me not to say fuck the NDA and just spill all my secrets now."

"Don't do anything you'll regret later. It's one day." Anastasia leaned over and turned off the lamp. "It's late. Let's sleep." She promised herself she wouldn't have sex with him until she signed and he explained and she definitely didn't want him regretting it when it happened because she hadn't signed the NDA yet.

He slipped an arm around her and pulled her backwards, spooning her from behind. He kissed the back of her neck. "Night, baby."

Anastasia yawned. "Goodnight, Christian."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Some lemon, some drama (in the form of Mrs. Robinson).**

 **I want to thank everyone for the lovely reviews, follows, and favorites! Your support is incredible!**

 **I just realized I have been ignoring the disclaimer in the beginning...so I just want to throw it out there that I own nothing or get paid for anything. I just like to write.**

 **Updated on 7/24/16. Hoping I fixed all my mistakes.**

Anastasia sat at her desk the next afternoon, munching on an apple and trying to stay focused on her work, but her mind kept wandering to earlier that morning.

She had woken up that morning alone in bed, but quickly found Christian in the kitchen making breakfast. After a rather long good morning kiss, she excused herself to take a quick shower, leaving him to the breakfast.

When she had come back out, she noticed him pouting and holding his finger. It turns out that Christian Grey had many fortes but cooking was not one; he managed to burn his middle finger pretty badly while trying to make pancakes from a box. She quickly kissed it and fixed his finger with burn ointment and a band aid.

Turns out Christian Grey likes to be babied as much has he likes to do the babying. It made her wonder if he never got that when he was a child. She quickly dismissed the thought, knowing that if she started wondering about his past and how it affects his life now, she would never get any work done. She knew she'd find out tonight and by the sound of it, she wouldn't get much work done that weekend so she best do it while she sat there.

When Christian picked her up from work at 5:30pm, he looked nervous…which she found odd. It was just his family and a few friends of Carrick and Grace. She wondered if she was the cause of it. Maybe he was nervous to be around his parents friends with a new girlfriend.

"How was your day, Mr. Grey?" Maybe she could ease him out of his unease.

"Long."

Ana frowned. Well that was short. "I see. You seem out of sorts. Everything okay?" Maybe a little prod wouldn't hurt.

Christian sighed and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Just have had a lot to think about."

Anastasia heart dropped into her stomach. Maybe he was rethinking telling her that night. "If you decide you don't want to do this tonight, I understand."

"I don't think putting it off any longer is a good idea."

Anastasia gave a relieved sigh and reached over to squeeze his thigh. "Good. I bought new panties at lunch just for tonight. I've never owned a thong before."

Christian looked at her with wide eyes. She caught a tail light out of the corner of her eye and looked forward. "Christian!"

His head snapped forward and he slammed on his brakes, almost back ending someone at the red light. Anastasia sat there shocked and quickly pulled her hand off his leg.

"Shit Ana! You can't talk like that while I'm driving!" Christian's jaw was clenched and his eyes looked hard and angry.

She knotted her fingers in her lap and looked down. "I…I'm sorry…I didn't expect…" She shook her head. "This is not how…" She sighed. "I'm sorry."

He reached over and enveloped her knotted fingers in his hand. "Don't be sorry Ana. It's my fault. I lost my head. What you said…it was just…so unexpected. Let's have a good night, baby."

She smiled up at him. "Okay."

"So?" Christian asked, grinning.

"So…?"

"What do these panties look like? I'd love a visual, Miss Steele."

Anastasia went red. "Don't you want to be surprised?"

"I'm not big on surprises, Anastasia. Besides, you almost got us killed talking about them. I think I deserve a description." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well…they're white and lacy and they have a red satin bow on the front."

Christian released a puff of air and shifted in his seat. "My gift wrapped in a bow?"

Anastasia giggled. "You could say that."

He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles before turning it and nipping the pad of her thumb.

A sharp intake of air was heard from Anastasia and she wiggled in her seat, pressing her thighs together. Christian smiled smugly and released her hand back into her lap and he squeezed her knee.

"May I peek?" Christian asked, slipping her skirt up an inch.

Anastasia's eyes widened. "You…oh my. You want to see?"

Christian nodded. "Very much. Please."

Anastasia looked out the window to check for other drivers and then nodded. "Okay."

Christian slipped his hand further up her leg and Anastasia helped lift the skirt so her panties showed. She bit her lip once it was up to her waist.

Christian looked from the road down to her sex and groaned. "Oh…Ana…" He grazed the red bow with the pad of his index finger. "Definitely the best gift I'll ever receive."

He looked back to the road and she shimmied her skirt back down. "How do you know? You haven't opened it yet."

"You're willing to give me your innocence. That's incredible…I don't deserve it." He shifted in his seat again. "How am I suppose to keep my face out from between your legs long enough to wish my father happy birthday?"

"Christian!" She blushed and hid her face in her hands.

A deep chuckle came from the driver's side and she had the urge to smack his arm for that…she also had the urge to beg him to go home so he could do just what he said. She rubbed her face and groaned. She needed to keep it together.

The car stopped and the ignition turned off. "Showtime, Anastasia." She lifted her head out of her hands and saw his smug grin. She scowled at him.

"Stay." He told her as he climbed out. She watched him as he walked around the vehicle and opened her door.

"Your hand, Miss Steele." He offered his hand and she took it, climbing out of the extremely low car.

"Thank you, Mr. Grey." He gave her his boyish grin and pulled her into his arms before he even shut the door, kissing her deeply.

XxXxXx

"Oh, Anastasia, dear! We're so glad you've come!" Anastasia was met at the door by Christian's mother, Grace, who quickly pulled her into a hug.

"Of course!" Anastasia replied when she released her.

"And my darling boy!" Grace leaned up and kissed his cheek. Christian gave Anastasia a look that showed it was out of character for his mother to act like that.

"Mom." Although it sounded more of a question through his confusion. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see the two of you! Christian has never brought a girl around before! It's so nice he found such a good one. Don't be too upset with Mia over her little Facebook incident…she only meant well." Grace urged.

Anastasia took a deep cleansing breath and plastered on a polite smile. "Of course, Dr. Trevelyan."

"Grace! For goodness sake, Anastasia! You're practically family now. Please call me by my first name."

Anastasia's eyes went wide. Part of the family? Wasn't she rushing things a little bit?

"Mom!" Christian barked.

"Okay, Grace. That's enough. Stop scaring the girl." Carrick came up beside his wife.

Anastasia smiled at him as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Happy birthday! Thank you for inviting me."

"Of course Ana!"

"Happy birthday Dad." Christian held out his hand and his father shook it.

"Thanks, son. Glad you could make it."

"Me too. Well, we better go make our rounds." Christian took Anastasia's hand and they went around saying hello to everyone.

While they stood at the bar waiting for their drinks, Anastasia noticed that Carrick and Grace's friend, Elena Lincoln, kept staring at them. Anastasia's stomach twisted uncomfortably when their eyes met. Something felt off about her. She was looking at Christian like he was a tall glass of water and she was dying of thirst. She had met Mrs. Lincoln multiple times in the past, but she had never given Anastasia this sick vibe in the past.

Her wine was handed to her and she took a deep swig and sighed. "You okay?" Christian asked quietly while they made their way over to his siblings and Kate.

"Yes, just deciding what tool I should use to pry Mrs. Lincoln's eyeballs out with."

Christian smiled. "My sweet Ana has a darkside."

"Well, she should keep her eyes to herself. You're mine…and she's…old!"

"Just ignore her Anastasia."

XxXxXx

"Let me take you on a tour." Christian whispered in her ear. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "I want to show you my old room…"

Her eyes widened and she nodded.

"We'll be right back. Going to give Anastasia the grand tour." Christian announced to his siblings and Kate.

Elliot's eyebrow shot up and Christian scowled at him as they made their way to the stairs. They climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor and he pulled her along the hall, stopping at the third door on the right. He quickly opened it and allowed her to enter first, following her in and closing and locking it behind him.

Anastasia looked around. It was mostly blue. Blue walls, blue bed, blue nightstand. There was a desk in the corner with a corkboard above it and her legs carried her over to look. Pictures of teenage Christian with others, movie stubs, and concert tickets. Anastasia grinned and turned back towards him. He regarded her with his hands in his pockets.

"I've never had a girl in my room before."

She giggled. "You wait until your twenty-seven to sneak a girl up when you have your own apartment?"

He gave her a shy smile and shrugged. "I told my father happy birthday and I'm impatient. I want between your legs, Anastasia. If you'll let me."

Anastasia paled. He wanted to…? Here?

He made his way over and cupped her face with his hands, kissing her soundly. "I just want to taste you. If I wait to ask, you might have already run and I want to know what it's like. I want to please you."

She searched his eyes. "Please me?"

"I want to make you come, Anastasia. I want to hear what my name sounds like on your lips while you come undone." He explained, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Oh wow." How could he make her pant before anything even happened? "I've never…"

"Never what?" Christian asked. His eyes widened. "You've never orgasmed?" She shook her head. "Never? You've never touched yourself?" She shook her head again.

"Fuck." He breathed out. "Please, Anastasia. Please let me."

She pressed her legs together and bit her lip. Looking up at him, she nodded.

He hissed. "Yes? Ana…I need to hear you say it."

"Yes. Please." She whispered. He leaned down and kissed her, backing her up to the bed. When the back of her knees hit the bed and she started to fall back, he held onto her and lowered her slowly.

He kneeled down in front of her and slipped her heels off, kissing the inside of each ankle. "Don't want to accidently be impaled." He said, grinning.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to ease her anxiety.

"Relax, baby. I'm not going to hurt you." Christian rubbed her shins up and down.

"I know…it's just nerve-wracking having someone so close to such an intimate place."

"If you change your mind or I do something you don't like, just tell me to stop." Christian said, running his hands up to her thighs.

She nodded against the bed, even though she wasn't sure if he could see.

"Ana…I need to hear you."

She cleared her throat. "I understand."

"Good. I won't take your panties off. I don't want to unwrap you just yet. Just a little peek before later." For some reason, the thought of not being completely nude to him made her anxiety dissipate a bit.

He pulled on her hips, bringing her closer to the edge of the bed. He pushed her skirt up as far as he could and bent her legs up, placing her feet on the edge of the bed. "Lift your hips, baby."

She did and he shimmied her skirt up to her waist and she placed her hips back on the bed. "Mmm…you look incredible from this angle." He slid his arms through the openings between where her calves and the back of her thighs were steepled and let his hands rest on her hips. He ran his nose down her underwear clad front and Anastasia covered her face with her hands.

"Relax." He reached down and moved her panties to the side and slid his index finger down her slit, eliciting a hiss from Anastasia.

"So wet baby. So beautiful." He gripped both her hips and leaned down to kiss her center before sliding his tongue up her slit. She gasped and her hips automatically tried to raise, but he held them down. Lifting his head he blew across her clit, making her whimper and grab onto the duvet.

"I knew you'd be sweet." He blew once more before lowering his mouth and running his tongue in circles around her clit. She moaned in response and arched her back. He worked her clit, holding it between his lips and flicking it over and over quickly with his tongue.

"Mmm, Christian!" Anastasia started panting.

He let go of it and licked it once more. "Not yet baby. I'm not done." He licked down her slit and tongued her opening causing her to moan again.

"Oh, please Christian!" He slid his tongue back up to her clit and circled it again.

"I'm going to use my fingers, baby. Try to stay still." He pressed down on her stomach with his left hand to keep her from rising off the bed and slipped his right down to her opening and pressed his index finger into her, making Anastasia moan and roll her head to the side while she gripped the duvet.

He watched her as he worked his finger in and out of her, swirling it and massaging her walls. "God, Ana. You're so tight. Even for my finger…I'm going to add one more."

He slipped in his middle finger and pumped her a few times before turning his hand palm up and stroking her front vaginal wall.

"Oh Christian! Don't stop! Please!" She could feel herself tightening.

"Come for me, baby. Let me have it; I want your pleasure." Christian's mouth lowered over her clit and he started sucking hard, sending her over the edge. He used his other hand to keep her from lifting off the bed or straightening her legs.

She cried out his name as her orgasm washed over her and he continued to work her through it, dragging out her orgasm as long as he could. She finally relaxed and threw an arm over her eyes while she tried catching her breath. He fixed her panties and kissed the red bow before climbing on the bed next to her and wrapping an arm around her.

"You're incredible." He whispered.

She laughed. "I'm…? No. You are incredible. That was…wow…You didn't let me straighten my legs." She pouted.

He grinned and moved her arm so she'd look up at him. "Stronger and lasts longer that way."

"How do you know this stuff?"

He shrugged. "I'm just good."

She gave him a drowsy smile and rolled her eyes.

"Relaxed?"

She nodded.

"I bet. Years of pent up sexual frustration finally burst." Christian teased and kissed her temple.

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"Thank you for letting me be your first."

She smiled and kissed his lips. "Thank you for being my first."

"My pleasure."

She looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow.

He grinned. "Okay…so the pleasure was both of ours."

XxXxXx

After they got cleaned up and Anastasia brushed her hair, they went back down to the party to find most of the guests tipsy at this point.

"That was a long tour…" Elliot mentioned, raising an eyebrow at Christian. "Got lost touring the bedroom? I think I'll take Kate here, on a tour of mine." Elliot grabbed Kate's hand and yanked her through the room, Kate giggling as they went.

"He's foul." Christian mentioned, watching them climb the stairs.

"But not wrong…" Anastasia mentioned, letting out a giggle of her own.

Christian wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "I love that sound."

Anastasia wrapped her arms around his waist. "You can be so sweet when you want to be. Hearts and flowers."

He shrugged, squeezing her tighter. "It's easy when it comes to you."

Anastasia wasn't sure if it was the rollercoaster she got off of in his room or the fact that he was just being so sweet, but she found herself blinking back tears at this. She was falling so hard for this man with whiplash moods.

She shook her head and smiled. "Such a charmer, Mr. Grey."

"Hello, Christian! Anastasia."

Anastasia turned her head and smiled at Elena Lincoln, squeezing Christian tighter. "Hello, Mrs. Lincoln."

Christian nodded. "Elena."

"Enjoying the party?" Elena asked.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Oh! So well behaved, isn't she Christian! Such a good girl." Elena grinned.

"No, Elena. It isn't like that. She's my girlfriend." Christian looked down and smiled at a confused Anastasia. Obviously, Elena knew something that Anastasia didn't. She wondered if the woman knew of his past. Her stomach sunk at the thought.

"PRESENT TIME!" Grace's voice called out.

"Oh! I left it in the car! May I have the keys, Christian?" She held her hand up.

He smiled. "I'll go get it."

"Oh, honestly! I'm not going to run off with the car!" Anastasia rolled her eyes.

He shook his head. "You might. Then I'd be stuck with this lively bunch while you joy ride."

Anastasia giggled and he leaned down to kiss her. "Be right back." He eyed Elena for a moment and gave her a small scowl. At least he wasn't happy with the woman. Anastasia did a small happy dance in her head.

"So, you and Christian are doing well? He's good to you?" Elena asked.

"Yes, ma'am. He's been incredible…so affectionate and caring." Anastasia gave her a polite smile.

"You're the first woman he's brought around his family."

Anastasia had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "Yes. I was a friend of Mia's before we got together, though."

"Why Christian?"

Anastasia was taken aback. "I…I'm sorry?"

"Why are you suddenly interested in Christian?"

"What are you getting at Mrs. Lincoln?" Anastasia crossed her arms.

"I cant help but wonder if this is about money."

Anastasia's mouth dropped. "Money?"

"Listen here...If you think you're somehow going to trap him with a child or convince him to marry you, you are sadly mistaken. Christian will not settle down, no matter how hard you and your fake sweet demeanor tries. You're not what he needs." Elena narrowed her eyes at Anastasia.

"For your information, he came to me! I don't give a flying fuck about his money. He is lovely and I enjoy being with him. I'm not sure why it's any business of yours why we're together, but I assure you it has nothing to do with his wealth!" Anastasia wanted to rip that bottle blonde hair right out of her scalp. She clenched her jaw and glared at the woman.

"Hey…what's going on?" Christian asked, stepping between the women and cupping Anastasia's face. Anastasia knew now was not the time. She shook her head, trying to keep her angry tears from falling.

"Elena! What did you do?" Christian looked over his shoulder and scowled at her.

"Nothing, Christian. Just having a chat!" Elena answered. "I'm going to get some refreshments."

"Baby, tell me what she said to you."

Anastasia shook her head and pulled his hands off her face, holding them in her own. "Not now. Let's just get through this. I just want to go home."

Christian frowned. "Home?"

"Your home." Anastasia added.

He leaned down and kissed her. "I want that too."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: TRIGGER WARNINGS. It's been said. Shows more of Ana's background.**

 **The parts of the contract that I put in italics are straight from her contract in the first book.**

Anastasia watched Christian from the passenger's seat while they made their way back to his apartment. She noticed he was pale and kept swallowing and clearing his throat. He had ahold of her hand and she squeezed it.

"I can just go home, Christian. We don't have to do this. You're pale. There's no need to upset yourself like this. I'm really not worth all this upset." Anastasia urged.

"Don't you dare say that. I wouldn't be so worried if you weren't worth it. You're worth everything. Soon you're going to realize I'm not worth it." Christian pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

Anastasia frowned. "If I can't say it, you can't say it either. You've brought out feelings in me that I didn't even know existed. I never expected to find anyone that I was attracted to, let alone be comfortable around…but from that first night you brought me home I felt at ease with you. I can't just walk away and ignore my feelings because I'll spend the rest of my life wondering and missing you." When she looked back to Christian, she saw sadness in his face. It felt like a boulder hit her stomach. It was the first time she realized that maybe Christian's past was darker than being something like a sex addict or a male prostitute. She felt tears come to her eyes as she started to feel a little panicked and did her best to blink them away and swallow the hollow feeling in her chest.

"Anastasia…what did Elena say to you?"

"She accused me of trying to trap you by getting pregnant or convincing you to marry me because I only care about your money. She warned that it wouldn't work because I'm not what you need." Anastasia chewed on her lip. "The money thing...It isn't true if you're worried."

Christian took a deep breath and set his jaw. "Of course it isn't true. I'll talk to her…put her in her place. What did you say?"

Anastasia blushed. "Oh! Um…I told her that I didn't give a flying fuck about your money and that we are none of her business."

Christian grinned. "Good. Anastasia, it is very important that you continue to stand your ground with her. She's very…well she has a very strong personality and was trying to scare you away by being domineering. Show her you're not submissive."

"She said I'm not what you need. How does she know?" Anastasia inquired.

"She doesn't know what I need. I didn't know what I needed until this summer." Christian answered.

"Does she know about your past?" Anastasia held her breath.

Christian frowned. "Yes."

Anastasia's stomach twisted. "Was she _part_ of your past?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to know, but her sick curiosity got the best of her.

He squeezed her hand tighter. "Yes."

 _Fuck!_ She was expecting him to say no. "So, she was your lover." Anastasia needn't ask. She already knew the answer.

"Anastasia…please…there's more too it. I can't say anymore until the NDA is signed."

She wanted to tell him what he could go do with that NDA, but she knew her mind and emotions were now on overdrive.

"If I sign it…I want the whole story. Everything from before you were adopted and up." If Elena was just a piece of his past, Anastasia sure as hell wanted to know everything.

"Oh, is that what we're doing now? Negotiating?" Christian's mouth thinned into a line. He looked annoyed.

"Yes. If Mrs. Lincoln is just a part of everything, I need to have everything out in the open. I don't want any secrets popping up later."

"And if I only want to tell you about certain aspects?"

Anastasia shrugged. "Then I'll go home and our relationship won't go anywhere."

"Why?" Christian now wore his hard eyes, drawing into himself so that his emotions weren't shown.

"If I don't know your history and it's this bad, then I can't trust you. You already left me alone with someone you have a history with and you didn't even warn me." Anastasia felt tears bubbling up and looked out her window to hide her face. She expected him to agree. He hadn't yet and she was suddenly worried he'd tell her to leave.

"Then you will also tell me yours." Christian said after a few minutes of silence.

"Then it's a deal?" Anastasia looked back at him and smiled.

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.

Anastasia was not looking forward to this. If she was going to get the hard Christian, she knew she'd be near tears all night. She had a feeling she would even if he was sweet Christian.

XxXxXx

In the elevator, he held her in front of him, his arms wrapped around her tightly and his nose in her hair. She could feel the anxiety rolling off of him. He kept squeezing her to him and she placed her arms over his to try to calm him a bit. She raised her head back to look up at him upside down and it caused him to give her a small amused grin. She grinned back at him.

"Kiss." She said, so he'd lean down.

He chuckled against her lips. "You're demanding tonight."

She giggled. "Sometimes I have to get tough."

He laughed. "Is that what you're doing? Being tough? My little Anastasia being tough…"

"Hey! I can be!"

He kissed her forehead. "Just teasing. I know you're tough. Tougher than me. You've gone through a lot and you've come out of it normal."

"You're normal."

"No, Anastasia…I am fifty shades of fucked up." The elevator gave a ding and the doors opened. Christian led her out with his hand on the small of her back.

"Mr. Grey."

"Oh!" Anastasia startled, not realizing Taylor was there.

"I apologize Miss Steele…I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, of course you didn't. No need to apologize." Anastasia answered.

Christian looked annoyed. "Taylor, we'll be in my office if you need me."

"Yes, Sir."

Christian escorted Anastasia through the apartment and her eyes wandered quickly, trying to take in everything on their way. Guess a tour wasn't going to be necessary. He was going to jump right into it.

He unlocked his office, turned on the light and ushered her in, shutting the door behind him.

"Sit." He pointed to a chair in front of his big desk. Anastasia sat, worrying her lip while she watched him sit.

"Don't bite your lip." He mentioned while he turned his chair and unlocked a filing cabinet to his right.

She released it and looked around nervously. Everything was so white and bare. Two pictures hung on the wall…no plants, no pictures.

He turned back towards her and she gave him her full attention. He set the NDA in front of her and set a pen next to it. She quickly scanned it and signed her name. She placed the pen on the paper and slid it towards him.

He then slid a packet of papers that looked like a contract toward her.

" _This…_ is the only type of relationship I've ever had. Every woman I've had here has signed this."

 _The following are the terms of a binding contract between the dominant and submissive._

 _Shit._ Did he think she would agree to this type of relationship? Anastasia worried her lip and took a deep, cleansing breath. She pulled her seat up closer and continued. _Discipline? Safety procedures?_ She looked up at him through her eyelashes and saw him sitting back in his chair, his arm propped up and holding his chin. His head was cocked to the side a bit and his eyes were trying to read her.

She cleared her throat and looked back down. As if it wasn't awkward enough trying to read it, he had to stare at her while she did so.

 _The submissive is to serve and obey the dominant in all things._ Anastasia couldn't help the snort that rose.

"Find something funny, Miss Steele?" She was glad to hear the amusement in his voice.

"Not a thing Mr. Grey."

 _She shall without query or hesitation offer the Dominant such pleasure as he may require…_

She wondered just how insatiable Christian Grey was…depending, this part might not be so bad…She shook her head and continued.

"How I'd love to be able to hear your thoughts right now…"

"Mr. Grey! I am reading." Anastasia admonished.

He chuckled. "My apologies, Miss Steele…do carry on."

 _This contract shall be effective for a period of three Calendar Months from The Commencement Date…._

 _The Submissive will make herself available to the Dominant from Friday evenings through to Sunday afternoons each week during the Term at times to be specified by the Dominant…_

Her heart ached and she mentally admonished herself for it. She knew she could never do this…she wouldn't submit if that's what he was asking, but reading these made her feel depressed…he only wanted her for three months and only on weekends. Even if he didn't expect her to be submissive, it shows that he has commitment issues. They were already a month into it…would he get bored in a couple months?

 _The Dominant accepts the Submissive as his, to own, control, dominate and discipline during the Term. The Dominant may use the Submissive's body at any time during the Allotted Times or any agreed additional times in any manner he deems fit, sexually or otherwise._

 _Holy fuck._ Use. He was just going to _use_ her?

 _The Dominant may flog, spank, whip or corporally punish the Submissive as he sees fit, for purposes of discipline, for his own personal enjoyment, or for any other reason, which he is not obliged to provide._

 _Whomp. There it is._ Own personal enjoyment…to beat and fuck women. She scanned down, knowing what to look for next.

 _The Dominant may restrain, handcuff, or bind the Submissive at any time during the Allotted Times or any agreed additional times for any reason and for extended periods of time, giving due regard to the health and safety of the Submissive._

She held back her tears and tried to keep her anger from boiling over. She scanned down quickly, wanting to get all the information before confronting him.

 _Eyes downcast…no touching._ Anastasia had enough.

"You're a sadist…just…just like him. _Of course_. Of course I would!" Anastasia rose and pulled open the door, leaving the office. She felt extremely claustrophobic. "Out of everyone! I fall for…how could I be so stupid? I convinced myself that it couldn't be that bad…" She paced the sitting room and continued to talk to herself. She saw Christian watching her from the corner of her eye.

"Why? Why do you have to be like him? He tied me up! He raped me! He beat me for screaming and he just left me there! And you! You do this!" Anastasia crouched down, sat back on her butt and held her legs, her face in her knees.

"Anastasia…I don't rape women! They agree to the terms… they like being submissive!"

Anastasia picked up her head and looked him in the eye. "He said the same thing! He said those women liked it! But what he did…he broke them down until they felt worthless to the point where they didn't care what happened to them! Then he found out he had a daughter, fought for custody and then decided little girls were more fun!"

Christian looked shell shocked. "Anastasia…I would never…there is nothing okay about what he did to you! I would never rape a woman, let alone a little girl!"

Anastasia wiped frantically at her face, realizing that tears were now pouring down her face. "You have a room, don't you? Is it your bedroom or is it separate?"

Christian stared at her wide-eyed for a moment. "I have a separate playroom. The subs aren't allowed in my bedroom."

"Can I see it?" Anastasia's morbid curiosity was getting the best of her. She had this picture in her head of what her father's had been…except his was a moldy smelling basement room at the bottom of the stairs behind a steel door.

"The playroom?"

"Yes."

Christian furrowed his brow. "I…are you sure? I don't want to upset you anymore than you already are."

"I need to see it." Anastasia stood up and wrapped her arms around herself.

He nodded. "Stay." She raised an eyebrow. "…Please." He added.

She watched him disappear into his office and he came back with a key.

"It's upstairs."

She nodded. "I'll follow you."

She followed him up the stairs and to the left. She looked back behind her and down the stairs, half hoping that Taylor saw them come up.

She saw him stop at a wooden door and she sighed inwardly. No steel here. He slipped the key into the lock, turned it and pushed the door open. He slipped the key out of the slot and pushed it open, holding it open with his hand. He looked at her. Chewing her lip, she made her way to the door and with a deep breath, she entered.

She gasped. The room was huge. He had probably ten times the amount in this room than what was in that basement room she was constantly stuck in. The walls were red. At first, she thought it was to cover the blood. Her father had white walls and it was splattered red. But, upon further inspection, the walls were clean.

She reached up and touched the wall.

"What are you doing?"

"No blood…" She murmured and continued around.

Christian's eyes went wide and his breath caught. "Oh, Anastasia…I don't break skin. I just like to make the skin pink."

She looked back at him for a moment before continuing along the wall. "This is a rather large bed…"

"Yes."

She stopped when she saw the cross. Her heart sped up and she backed away. "No. I can't…I need out of here." She turned toward the door and Christian moved to the side to let her out.

She marched down the hall and her eye caught a restroom and she ducked into it, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the far wall and slid down, sobbing into her knees.

There was a quiet knock on the door, but she ignored it. Christian slowly opened the door and took a step toward her. She narrowed her eyes at him and he put his hands up in surrender, got down on his knees and sat back. She watched as he placed his hands on his knees and her eyes widened.

"I am not your dominant, Anastasia. You are not my submissive, nor do I want you to be. I knew you had a dark past…even though I never knew just how dark…but the thought of putting you through anymore pain or anxiety was too hard for me to bear. So, I went to Flynn. I told him how much I was drawn to you and how I couldn't bear to do that to you. I wanted to make sure that I could do it…that he thought I could do it. I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I'm serious about us. I don't want to ever sign that contract again. I want you."

"Vanilla?"

"Absolutely."

She nodded. "I need to go home."

Christian's eyes widened. "Home?"

"Yes. Home. I don't know how to navigate this. I need time. This is…I just refused to let myself even think that this could be what you were hiding…I wasn't ready. I'm really confused and I'd like to go home." She stood and waited for him to move.

"Anastasia…is there anything I can do? Or say?"

"Just give me space. I need time away from you…from all this." Anastasia explained.

"You need time away...from me? You are running away?" Christian looked down at his lap.

"I just need to think, Christian. Please let me go."

Christian stood up and unblocked the doorway. "May I walk you out?"

"Please. Where are my keys, Christian?" Anastasia asked as she headed down the hall and to the stairs.

"In the kitchen Miss Steele…I'll get them for you."

She grabbed her handbag from his office and he grabbed her keys and they met in the foyer outside the elevator.

"Thank you." She said as he handed her the keys.

"Anastasia…please…what can I do? I don't want you to go. I want to work this out." Christian's eyes were hazy and sad.

"I need to work this out on my own. I need time right now." She pushed the button to the elevator and they waited in silence.

When it opened, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it, before letting it drop back down to her side. He entered the code to his floor of the garage and stepped out.

He looked back at her and he looked panicked. "Anastasia, please!" He made a last ditch effort as the doors closed.

"Bye, Christian."

 **A/N: I am split on how the next part will go. I was wondering if any of you would be interested in letting me pick your brain a bit? Let me know in your review if you're up for it! Thanks.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So, I got a review stating I 'stole' from other peoples stories for mine. As if you couldn't tell by my 3 other stories and my list of follows…I came from the world of Harry Potter. I have only read a couple of FSoG fanfics and if any of you feel that I've 'stolen' something, please pm me and let me know…It angers me that I'm being told I am not being genuine when I am proud of my creativity. Aarrrggghhh!**

 **Like I said, I am new to the world of FSoG. I recently just read the books so my ideas are mine. I started writing before I even read any FSoG fanfics.**

 **If my writing style has changed it is because I'm getting requests about knowing more of Ana's thoughts and I'm trying to accommodate.**

 **Okay rant over.**

 **I also want to thank my reviewers who helped aide in where and how I want to take this.**

 **Trigger Warnings!**

Anastasia laid in bed all day Saturday. She knew that her anxiety got the best of her and she wished she could take it back. It was unfair to state he was like her father. Her father never had a contract and he would mentally break whoever he was with before having the woman become his so-called 'submissive'. The women were not aware of the relationship type until they were too far in. Her father was an abusive monster.

She couldn't imagine Christian being a monster. She didn't know how harsh he was with his, but at least his women were willing and wanting. He had enough loopholes in the contract to allow the woman to get out if she'd like. Her father didn't really give that option. He either got bored or they changed their numbers and disappeared to get away from him.

Her father didn't have an NDA and that aided in getting him a jail sentence. When what he did to her went public, a few of the women came forward about the abuse.

Christian might have been or might still be a sadist…dominant…whatever, but he really went out of his way to show her he cared and that he was trying. He was willing to go on dates, willing to sleep next to her and be a complete gentleman, and willing to do emergency appointments with Dr. Flynn. He made an effort to protect her from the moment he saw her helping Mia. He made her feel more special and more giddy than she ever had…and she freaked out on him when he had nothing but patience with her. That night he even got down on his knees with her to show they were equals…and she just ran away.

She wanted to call him and tell him that she was sorry and that she wanted to talk more. She still needed to know about his childhood and Elena and the random girls. It was hard for Ana to believe that women were okay with being abused…but maybe she was just looking at it the wrong way. Is it abuse if it's consensual and both are in their right mind? Is anyone that enjoys that in their right mind to begin with? She wished she knew more about it. Its been ten years since she had to fight this demon from her past; she never thought she'd have to face it again.

She wondered if Christian really could change what he liked. Could he just give it up to be with her? Would he slowly coax her into that lifestyle before she realizes what's happening? Would he just get bored with her after a bit and move on?

Those questions in mind, could she just hope for the best and jump in with both feet with Christian? Maybe she needed to talk to Flynn.

It was all so frustrating and seemed unfair. Of course life is unfair...but why does it have to be this? Why did she have to pick someone from that lifestyle? She couldn't help the way her body reacted to him. It was like her whole body would hum when he was close. When he touched her it was like wavelengths of warm, liquid pleasure. His voice made her body react deep down in her core and she couldn't help but love his need to be in charge. Like he said, he needed to by alpha and that made her center clench deliciously at the thought. Christian was a _real_ man. He knew how to command the people around him, but at the same time he knew how to make her feel cared for and wanted…like it was his job just to make sure she felt…well like a woman. He oozed masculinity.

Anastasia wanted to call him. She needed to text him…but she couldn't seem to do it. She was so embarrassed with how she acted and she wasn't even sure if he was even interested in her after the way she disrespected him.

" _I want to please you."_

His words resonated through her head and body. How could five little words be so sexy? He didn't demand for her to please him or tell her he wanted to be pleased…he wanted to please _her_. Like it was something she deserved. Turns out she didn't deserve it. She ran from him when he was trying to be open and honest. She couldn't get the look he had on his face when she left out of her mind. His eyes were so cloudy and hurt. His whole face was pulled down into a frown and it reminded her of a small boy in pain. Her heart ached at the thought.

Her phone pinged. It was Mia.

*Ana-Banana! U comin 2 fam din tmw? Its 8 cuz mom has to work.*

Anastasia rolled her eyes. Even the way Mia wrote was juvenile. Should she go? Maybe Christian would be there…

*I'm not sure, Mia.*

*U have 2! I have big news!*

*Who's coming?*

*Just the norm. Maybe Kate.*

 _Just the norm…_ She wondered if Christian _would_ come or if he'd avoid his parents like the plague, in case she was there. If they did both go and they weren't talking, that would send red flags to the family, causing a lot of questions to arise and noses being put where they don't belong. _But_ she could see Christian and maybe apologize face-to-face.

*Okay. I'll go.*

She hurried and sent it before she lost her nerve.

*Eep! Ur the best Ana! 3*

Anastasia could just picture her squealing on the other end and she couldn't help a small smile. She crossed her fingers that Christian would be there and got up to look through her closet, hoping to find something that he might like. She found nothing. In the morning she'd head out to find a new dress to wear. Christian had complimented her on her eyelet sundress…maybe she could find something similar.

XxXxXx

The next day she found a turquoise eyelet sundress that was a fit and flare and just dusted the top of her knees. It had a bow in front that cinched around her ribs and she loved the way it moved when she walked. She matched it with her white Tommy Hilfiger Lynne flat sandals and put her hair in a high bun. Her eyes kept wandering to her underwear drawer and she kept berating herself for it. They still had a lot to talk about.

She finally gave in, telling herself it wasn't truly giving in since she was just going to hide them in her handbag instead of changing into them.

After putting on some light makeup and spraying some of her apple body splash, she took one more look at herself in the mirror and snorted. She did all this for a man who was probably too angry with her to even be there. She shrugged. At least she felt pretty.

XxXxXx

When she got to the Grey residence and didn't see his car anywhere, her heart sunk a bit. It was just now 7:30…maybe he would still show. She convinced herself to get out of her car and drag herself in.

There was a squeal and someone rushing, before arms were flung around her and she was engulfed in a hug. "Ana! I'm so glad you're here! I can't wait to tell you my news!"

Anastasia squeezed Mia back. "What is it?"

"No! Not yet! I want to tell you all together!" Mia grinned.

Anastasia couldn't help, but grin back. Mia's excitement was always contagious. Mia's phone rang and she pulled it out before hopping on the front of her feet. "I have to take this! I'll be right back!"

"Hello, Ana!" Grace came over and hugged her. "So glad you could make it. Mia is just so excited…she didn't happen to mention why did she?" Grace asked, eyeing Anastasia.

Anastasia laughed. "No, I'm sorry. She didn't tell me anything."

Grace nodded. "Well, dinner won't be done for another half hour, so please make yourself at home."

Anastasia nodded and Grace disappeared behind the kitchen door. Anastasia tried sitting by the window to look out at the lake, but found herself too antsy and it was dark…there wasn't much to see.

Her legs carried her out the backdoor and she headed down towards the lake, trying to clear her mind and calm herself down. She wished she wouldn't have come. She felt stupid, thinking that Christian would show up.

She was almost to the dock when she heard her name being called quietly. She turned and squinted into the night. There was someone standing about fifteen feet from her, but she couldn't tell who it was. She noticed it was a male and stepped backwards. If it was Christian or Elliot they would be making their way over by now. She felt panicked and she could feel her heart drumming against her ribcage and her breathing started coming out in pants.

The man took a step forward and she quickly took two steps back, too scared to turn her back on him. He took another step and she jumped back, her back smacking against an obstruction.

"Pretty girl wandering outside alone…"

Her breath caught in her throat. She knew that voice. She was frozen. "Jansen." She said it so quietly that she wasn't even sure if he heard it.

"Anastasia."

It was like all feeling burst into her system when he said her name and she made a run for it. She barely got two steps before his arm went around her waist and yanked her back against him.

She started to scream and he covered her mouth. "Shut up!" She whimpered against his hand as she struggled against him. Movement ahead of her caught her eye and Sean came into focus. She felt tears come to her eyes and she tried screaming louder against his hand, trying to wiggle free.

"Keep wiggling, sweetheart. I like the fight." He pressed himself into her and bile rose to her throat as his erection pushed against the small of her back.

Sean grinned from in front of her and moved towards them to close the gap. Anastasia started kicking at Sean and he grabbed her ankles. He made eye contact with his brother and they lowered her to the ground.

Sean sat astride her, pinning her legs down and using his arms to hold her wrists to her sides. Jansen leaned his forearm against her clavicle to keep her down while he held a hand to her mouth. She winced at the pressure against her clavicle.

"I am going to lift my hand. If you scream, I will strangle you. Do you understand?" Jansen said quietly. Anastasia nodded. He looked at her for a moment before releasing his hand.

"Why?" She whispered.

"Oh…Anastasia…there are plenty of reasons why…we've been watching…waiting for Mia…and then its just our luck you wander off by yourself. So much better than that spoiled brat." Sean answered.

"Why Mia?"

"Her prick of a brother ruined our lives! We wanted to hurt something precious to him." Sean answered again.

"Why this though? Why not just go straight for Christian?"

"Because it's easier…and we knew he'd feel personally responsible." Sean shrugged.

"That bastard took away my job…and then I find out that he hands it over to the girl who he's been fucking. You must be one helluva fuck to get him to buy the company, Steele." Jansen grinned at her and she swallowed.

"Wha…what are you going to do?" Anastasia asked.

Jansen laughed. "Come on, love. I know you're not that daft. My brother and I usually don't share, but I think we can make an exception just this once."

Anastasia screamed and his hand went to her throat and squeezed. Her scream went silent and she started to squirm. "Stupid girl."

She felt the blood pooling in her face and her lungs started to burn while the pounding in her ears kept getting louder. She felt her dress being pulled up. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears leaked down her face and she prayed that it would be over soon.

Jansen released her throat enough for her to take a breath and her eyes popped open as she sucked in deep breaths. He left his hand pressed against her chest and throat as a warning and with his other hand he started pulling at the side of her panties.

She squeezed her legs together while Sean tried prying them apart and she started to sob. "Please…please don't! Please don't do this!" She used her free arms to attack Jansen's face and as her nails raked his cheeks he hissed, released her underwear and smacked her, gripping her throat tighter. Her hands went to her neck and she scratched at his hands, which were now both on her throat.

She felt herself getting weaker and her vision became blurry. Her lungs were burning and her heart was pounding in her ears, but she could hear voices in the background. She wondered what they were saying, but she felt herself slipping.

She relaxed her body and closed her eyes, hoping to blackout. Suddenly her airway was clear and the pressure against her body was gone. Air filled her lungs and she automatically sat up, blinking rapidly.

Grace dropped down beside her and wrapped an arm around her, pushing her dress down and wiping away the tears. "You're okay. The police are coming."

Kate and Mia dropped to her other side and Kate hugged her tightly. Anastasia noticed her friend was sobbing.

Anastasia turned her head and saw the Grey men struggling with the two intruders. Carrick and Elliot were wrestling one down to the ground and Christian was crouched over another, who was already flat on the ground, pounding on him.

Anastasia's heart leapt at the sight of him. She just wanted to be close to him, to be wrapped in his arms and squeezing him tightly.

"Anastasia! Are you okay?" Grace asked.

Anastasia just nodded, not taking her eyes off the men. Carrick and Elliot got theirs to the ground and Elliot held him down while Carrick hurried to Christian.

"STOP! CHRISTIAN! STOP IT!" Carrick ordered and put his hand on his shoulder. Christian shoved his father and hit the man again.

Anastasia started to crawl over to him.

"Ana! Don't!" Grace warned.

Anastasia ignored her and sat tall on her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him from behind. She leaned her forehead up against the side of his and whispered his name, her voice hoarse.

She felt his shoulders slump and he turned and clung to her. "Anastasia…if he would have…"

"You could've killed him." She mentioned, wincing when she realized it hurt to speak. She saw Jansen on the ground comatose, his face broken and bloody.

"I want to."

"You can't. We need you here." Anastasia tried clearing her throat, but the soreness and thickness she felt wouldn't leave.

He pulled back enough to look at her. "You need me?"

She nodded.

His eyes widened and he hugged her closer. "You're mine."

She nodded against his shoulder. "Yes."

XxXxXx

Anastasia stood next to Christian in the driveway while the EMT's loaded Jansen up in the ambulance. They cuffed Sean and he was now sitting in the back of a police car.

Anastasia just started to realize just how much her body hurt. Her throat, her thighs, even her back was killing her. She wondered if it was from throwing herself around, trying to get away. The thought of her appearance at the moment actually caused a snort to arise. After what just happened, she shouldn't be worried about what she looked like.

Another ambulance pulled up as the first was getting ready to set out and Anastasia's eyebrows furrowed.

"Anastasia…your going to the hospital." Grace informed.

"What? No…I'm fine." Anastasia shook her head.

"You are not. We need to get your throat checked out and document everything. I'll meet you there and do it myself." Anastasia noticed she had keys.

"I have to go in that?" Anastasia frowned as they pulled the stretcher down.

"Miss Steele…" It was one of the officers. "We'll get your account after you've gotten to the hospital. We're going to wrap up here first. Mr. Grey, may I speak with you?"

An EMT with gloves came over to take her to the stretcher.

Anastasia shook her head and clung to his arm. "No, I don't want to go by myself." Anastasia felt panicked. She was too emotional to be peeled away from him already. She felt like she needed him close. She didn't want him to just go away when she was such an emotional wreck.

He put his arm around her. "Okay…I'll go. Come on." She felt her body relax.

She climbed on the stretcher that they left in the sitting position and they hoisted it back into the ambulance. Christian climbed in quickly and took her hand. The EMT's started to take her vitals and put in an IV.

"Why do I need that?!" Anastasia's eyes went wide.

"We do it to everyone. Makes the hospital's job easier." The EMT answered.

Anastasia frowned and turned her head, keeping her eyes on Christian. His eyes darted all over her face and he kept swallowing.

"Christian?"

"It's okay, baby."

She sighed. "We still have a lot to talk about…"

He nodded. "I know, but let's get through this first."

"I'm sorry." She frowned and looked down at their hands.

"Shh…don't be." He pressed his forehead against hers. "We'll talk later."

"Don't leave me by myself." Anastasia was trying to swallow back her tears.

"I'll never leave you, Anastasia."

Even though she knew they were talking about the hospital, she couldn't help but feel her heart swell at his remark.

XxXxXx

They got her settled into her room, which she noticed wasn't part of the Emergency Department and couldn't help but wonder if Grace had called ahead and made arrangements.

"Hello, Miss Steele. My name is Courtney and I'll be your nurse. Is there anything I can get for you while we wait on Dr. Trevelyn?"

"Water! Cold water." Anastasia felt parched.

"Alright, Miss Steele. I'll get you some water. In the meantime I need you to get into this gown. Do you need any help? Sir, would you like to step out?" the RN asked, placing it at the end of her bed and eyeing Christian.

"No, we've got it." Christian answered, sounding a bit annoyed.

Anastasia cocked an eyebrow at him as Courtney left. "Don't start, Anastasia. Arms up."

She kept wincing as they worked to get her changed.

"What hurts, Anastasia?" Christian asked as he helped lay her back down.

"My back, mostly. I think I pulled something."

Christian's jaw went rigid and he began to pace, sliding a hand through his hair.

"Christian…"

"The water! Where is the fucking water? How hard is it? Did she have to tap into a well?" He wrenched the door open and looked back and forth down the hall.

Anastasia started to giggle. She couldn't help herself. He turned and scowled at her and she bit her lip, trying to stop, but couldn't contain her smile.

His shoulders visibly relaxed and a small smirk appeared on his face. "Are you laughing at me Miss Steele?"

"I am, indeed, Mr. Grey."

He pulled up a chair and sat next to her bed, reaching for her hand. "At least you've learned not to lie about it."

Anastasia's smile widened at the memory. "I think your parents thought you were going to lose it."

Christian nodded. "I've never had much patience for people who act silly. It infuriates me."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "It's ridiculous. Act your age."

"Age is just a number, Mr. Grey. You're too serious…too intense. Loosen up a bit. Were you this intense as a child?"

Christian nodded. "I didn't have time for nonsense."

Anastasia smiled. "But nonsense is fun. You need to be silly sometimes. It's good for your soul."

Christian frowned. "My soul is dark, Anastasia…"

"Then I'll brighten it." Anastasia squeezed his hand.

There was a knock on the door and Courtney entered with the water and Grace.

"How you feeling, sweetheart?" Grace came over and stroked her head. Anastasia felt warmed by the motherly action.

"Sore."

"Yea? Where?"

"Mostly my back, my throat, and my thighs."

Grace nodded and stepped away, writing in her chart.

"We're going to take pictures of all your marks, take x-rays of your neck and trunk and get you looked at. Everything is going to be evidence against those two, so I need you to be open and honest with me. Can you tell me what happened? Do you want Christian to step out?" Grace sat on the rolling stool and sat at Anastasia's bedside.

"What? I'm not going anywhere!" Christian insisted.

"Christian! It is not up to you!" Grace admonished.

"No, it's okay. He can stay."

The farther into her story she got, the angrier Christian became.

Once he had slammed his hand down on the rolling table, his mother had enough.

"Christian Trevelyn Grey! If you cannot conduct yourself in an orderly fashion, you will be forced to sit in the waiting room with the others!" Christian pouted, his forehead furrowed into a 'V'. "Sit down!" His mother commanded. He automatically sank into his chair.

"Now, continue…"

XxXxXx

The next hour was full of xrays, labwork, pictures, and pokes and prods from Grace.

"Does this hurt if I push here?"

"No."

"Good."

Anastasia felt like this was all a bit much for something that only lasted about ten minutes.

Next, she had to explain what happened once more to the police who voice recorded her statement. Christian was able to keep cooler the second time around.

As the police officers exited, Grace entered with a syringe in her hand. Anastasia's eyes went wide, making her laugh.

"It's pain medication. It'll make your back feel better. You just have a back strain, so you'll feel better in a few days. I want you taking off work this week. Those neck marks aren't going to be pretty to look at anyway."

Anastasia frowned. She didn't have time to take off a whole week.

"I'm keeping you until morning. I want to watch the throat swelling."

Anastasia scoffed. She just wanted to go home. Be in her own bed. Get some food…her stomach growled at the thought.

"But I'm hungry! I want to go home."

Christian stood up. "What do you want?"

"No, I don't want you to go."

Christian rolled his eyes. "I'm carless, Anastasia. Taylor will go."

"No! No, I'm fine! It is way too late!" Anastasia shook her head.

"You will eat."

"I will. When the cafeteria opens."

"Anastasia! Either tell me what you want or I'll choose for you." He stared her down.

"Um…egg drop soup?" She knew there was a Chinese takeout close to the hospital.

"That's all?"

"Crab rangoon?"

He grinned. "Okay. I'll get something, too."

The thought of Christian eating Chinese takeout amused her. She imagined him in his expensive gray suit sitting in his kitchen eating takeout out of white boxes with chopsticks.

She watched him talk to Taylor.

"Would you like a drink, Miss Steele?"

"Ooh! Yea! Diet Pepsi?" She grinned.

He rolled his eyes, but gave Taylor the order.

Grace closed in on her with the needle. "This has to be injected in your backside. Roll over."

Anastasia sighed. "Of course it does." She rolled onto her side, facing Christian, wincing as she moved.

Grace moved her gown and her underwear. "I warn you, this will make you a bit loopy and tired. The injection site might be a little sore after."

"Eyes up here Mr. Grey." Anastasia mentioned, seeing his eyes wander.

He grinned at her.

"Ouch!"

"All done!" She turned her back to dispose if the needle and write in the chart when Christian bent down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I find it interesting, Miss Steele that you're worried about modesty, considering my position the other night." She gasped and he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips before straightening up, leaving her blushing profusely.

"I think you're doing okay for now. I'm going to head home. I'll tell the others to come say goodnight. I'll be back in the morning. If you need me, just call." Grace gave Anastasia a hug.

"Thank you."

"You're most welcome. Christian…" She came to kiss his cheek. "You're staying aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Keep an eye on her."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but feel they were overreacting.

XxXxXx

"Mmm! So good!" Anastasia mentioned, with a mouthful of crab rangoon. Her voice was still raspy, but her throat felt better.

Christian looked up from his box and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What?"

He shook his head and grinned.

A few minutes later, she sat there bored, waiting for Christian to finish. She kept flexing her feet one at a time, making the blanket move up and down. She had never felt so loopy and tired at the same time. It was an odd mix. Her back did feel better.

His eyebrow cocked again and she could tell he was annoyed. She grinned at him. She picked up a chopstick from the rolling table and held it out towards his. "En Guard!"

He grabbed her chopstick. "Okay, Anastasia. That's enough." He pulled the chopstick out her hand.

"You know you love me!" Anastasia grinned. She knew she should be worried about his mood, but she didn't care at the moment.

He sighed. "Yes, I do…but I don't like you on painkillers."

Her eyes went wide. "I love you, too."

He stared at her. He stood from his seat and leaned his forehead against hers. "Again." He demanded.

"I love you."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "My sweet girl."

 **A/N: Next up will be the long awaited talk between the two. We'll see how that goes.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: This chapter ended up longer than I had expected…so consider it a two-in-one freeby. ;)**

 **I didn't expect to have this chapter up so fast because I'm working a 50+ hour midnight work week in the ED, but we've been so slow that I've been writing on my phone. Aren't you all so lucky? I don't know when I'll be able to update again…depends on patient traffic I suppose.**

Anastasia was awoken the next morning by Grace entering her room. Grace had a large smile on her face and she looked down to see Christian still sitting in his chair, but he was leaned over and had his arms wrapped around her, his head laying against her abdomen. He was still sleeping.

Anastasia mirrored Grace's smile and slipped her fingers through his hair. He turned his head toward Anastasia and blinked up at her, giving her a sleepy smile.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Anastasia giggled.

He hid his face in her abdomen and grunted.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Grace said, making Christian sit up quickly and rub his eyes.

"Morning." He slouched down in his seat.

"Why didn't you sleep on the couch?" Grace asked.

"I tried." He frowned.

His mother gave him a warm smile before concentrating on Anastasia. "How are you doing Anastasia?" She held up her stethoscope.

"Sore, but fine. Can I go home?"

Grace put the stethoscope on her chest. "Deep breath."

Anastasia did as she was told and it caused her start coughing.

Grace frowned. "I don't hear rubbing, so you don't have pleurisy…but your throat is still swollen. Open up and say 'ah'."

Grace checked her throat with her pen light and nodded. "Swollen and red. It can still swell enough to cut off your airway…you won't be in the clear for a few days. I'd rather you not stay alone."

"But…"

"No buts. You can come stay with us."

"I couldn't…"

"She'll stay with me." Christian cut in.

"Christian!" Anastasia scowled at him.

"Going home alone is not an option. You will stay with me. My decision is final." Christian gave her a stern look and clenched his jaw.

"Your decision is final?" Anastasia snorted. "I want to go home."

"Then I will stay with you. It would be much easier if you'd stay with me since I have my home office and everything I need to work there…but if you want to be stubborn and make me work twice as hard…"

Anastasia put her hand up. "Save the guilt trip Grey. I'll just go home with you. I'll need my laptop so I can work from home."

"No, Anastasia! You will rest!"

"Enough Christian! My throat hurts so don't make me yell! I can read and edit while I'm in bed. I'll be reading anyway. If you want me to stay with you then you _will_ allow me to work." Anastasia cocked an eyebrow and pressed her mouth into a thin line.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down. Anastasia refused to say anything and stared him down.

"Fine." He murmured.

Anastasia grinned and looked back at Grace. "Can we go?"

XxXxXx

Anastasia was given the all clear and she changed back into her dress, feeling rather awkward since she didn't have underwear to wear. Her panties were torn and Grace had put them in an evidence bag the night before. She kept subconsciously pulling on her dress, trying to make sure she was covered.

Grace had given her another pain shot when she noticed her having a hard time moving and walking and gave her strict orders to rest in bed all day. Taylor picked them up and headed for Escala while Anastasia tried not to doze off from the medication. At least she didn't feel loopy this time.

"Wait! What about my clothes? I have nothing to put on and I really need a shower." Her brand new dress had grass stains and dirt all over the back of it and she wondered if she'd ever get it out.

"You can wear something of mine. You'll be in bed anyway. I've phoned Mia and she is going to head over to your house and pack your belongings. Taylor will pick them up." Christian answered.

Anastasia raised her eyebrows. She hoped that Mia would pack something comfortable for her since she was stuck for a few days. She didn't think Mia knew the concept of comfortable clothing; she was all about fashion and thought looking perfect was more important than comfort. At least she'd get some underwear. She wasn't about to wear the panties she hid in her purse. She didn't want Christian to get the wrong idea or get mad at her for thinking that was what was going to happen.

She turned her head and watched Christian staring out the front windshield. God, he had such a beautiful profile. It wasn't fair. He got away with a lot just because of that face. Her heart swelled just looking at his long eyelashes that fluttered when he blinked, his long straight nose that he loved to nuzzle her neck with, and those sexy lips that he…well…did a lot of things with. Even his bedhead looked incredibly sexy on him.

She bit her lip, thinking about everything he had done. He was there for her. She was scared to be alone and he didn't even think twice about offering to climb in the ambulance or stay all night with her. He slept bent over in a chair just to be close to her. Christian Grey really was a good man, no matter what his past was like. She decided she would listen to his story, be there for him during his inner struggles, and love him more for it. Nothing could take her away now. He was hers and she was his.

Christian looked over at her and she gave him a small smile. She unbuckled herself and slid over to him, laying her head on his shoulder and holding his hand in both of hers.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

His face fell into a frown and he shook his head. "Don't. It's my fault this happened." His jaw clenched and he looked out his window.

"Christian…don't do this. There was no way you could have known what they were capable of. You were just trying to protect Mia and me. Don't dwell on this." She picked up his hand that was cut and swollen from the night before and kissed the knuckles. He shook his head and sighed.

"I don't blame you for this. They did this themselves. You were there to stop them…when did you get there anyway? The three of you weren't there when I came." Anastasia looked up at him.

"Elliot and Kate made me go for a drink at my club. I didn't really want to, but I was hoping it'd take my mind off of you for awhile. We came to Mom and Dad's together and Mom asked me to come get you for dinner. When I opened the patio door, we heard you scream." Christian buried his head in her hair and breathed deeply.

"Stop...It's dirty. There's probably still grass in it." Anastasia moved her head.

"Don't pull away from me Anastasia." Christian warned. She looked at him for a moment and relaxed back against him. "Good girl." He murmured into her hair.

XxXxXx

"Do you want me to carry you up?" Christian asked when they got to the garage.

"No, thank you. I can manage."

Christian slipped out and held out his hand for Anastasia. She climbed out and straightened her dress, pulling it down even though it was already down. Christian chuckled and shook his head.

"Amused, are you Mr. Grey?"

He nodded. "Very much." Wrapping an arm around her they made their way to the elevator.

"Sore?"

"Just a little."

Christian nodded. "Wait until the medication wears off."

"I think can tolerate a little pain, Mr. Grey." Anastasia noted.

"I'm aware, Miss Steele. That doesn't mean that you should have to. I don't ever want you pain." Christian answered.

Anastasia smiled up at him. "That means a lot coming from you, Sir."

He gripped her waist tighter, turning toward her and sliding his nose down the length of hers. "Oh, Ana…I want all of your pleasure, but none of your pain."

Aware that they were not alone, she blushed and hid her face in the front of his shoulder causing him to chuckle. "Don't worry, Miss Steele. Taylor has heard worse."

"Poor Taylor." Anastasia murmured as the elevator opened, making both men laugh.

"Taylor…you have briefed Mrs. Jones on what has happened?"

"Yes, Sir."

Christian nodded. "Good. I don't want her getting the wrong idea."

"Mr. Grey…Mrs. Jones knows you would never."

Christian gave another nod and led Anastasia into the apartment and into the kitchen. A blonde woman that looked like she was in her forties was bustling around the bright white kitchen.

"Gail?" Christian asked, making their presence known.

"Mr. Grey! You're home! Breakfa…oh." Mrs. Jones eyes widened at the sight of Anastasia. Her hands went to her mouth and her eyes started to water.

"This is Anastasia Steele. Anastasia, this is Mrs. Jones." Christian cocked an eyebrow at Mrs. Jones, warning her.

Mrs. Jones righted herself and cleared her throat. "Nice to meet you Miss Steele." She moved around the counter and offered her hand.

"Please. Call me Ana. It's nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Jones. I've witnessed Christian's lack of cooking skills, so it's nice to meet the woman who feeds him."

Mrs. Jones laughed. "Oh, I like her!" She mentioned to Christian. "Okay, Ana. You may call me Gail. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Oh! Um…anything is fine." Anastasia shrugged.

"I'll have a Spanish omelet, Gail." Christian answered.

"Ooh. That sounds good. I'll have that, too, _please_." Anastasia added looking up at Christian and raising an eyebrow.

Christian sighed. " _Please_ , Gail." Anastasia gave him a nod and leaned up and kissed his cheek. "See. That wasn't too hard."

Mrs. Jones grinned at Anastasia. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

"I've got a few emails I have to get through in my office. Will you be okay for a few minutes, Anastasia?"

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine, Christian."

He grabbed her chin and bent down to look into her eyes. "Oh…that eye rolling Miss Steele." He shook his head and kissed her lips. "I'll be back shortly." He disappeared into the next room.

"May I sit, Mrs. Jones?" Anastasia asked, eyeing the breakfast bar chair.

"It's Gail, dear and yes, of course. I have some bacon in the fridge already made. Would you like me to heat some up for you?" Mrs. Jones smiled at her.

"Oh, that sounds lovely. Can I have it in my omelet?"

"No problem. Mr. Grey likes his with green peppers. Would you like some?" Mrs. Jones asked as she started to move around the kitchen, grabbing things.

"Yes, please. Would you like some help?" Anastasia felt funny sitting there while someone she didn't even know did all the work.

"No, Ana. I'm quite alright. This is my job and I love doing it, so sit back and enjoy. Orange Juice?"

"Is there any grape?" Anastasia asked, hopeful.

"No, I'm sorry. I'll put it on my list though."

"That's okay. Orange juice would be wonderful."

Mrs. Jones smiled and poured her a glass. "It is so nice having a woman in the house. Mr. Grey seems very smitten."

"You've not met his…" Anastasia stopped, not knowing what the women knew or what she should call them.

"No. All the others were here when I was off. Jason…I mean Taylor...had met them, but you aren't one of them." Mrs. Jones shook her head as if she said too much.

"No, I'm not. And I won't." Anastasia answered.

"Anastasia…I know he doesn't want me asking you this, but my stomach has been in knots since Taylor told me. Are you alright?" Mrs. Jones looked over her face neck and chest, seeing the bruising and petechiae.

"I…" Anastasia sighed and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine."

"It's okay if you aren't. You're allowed to be."

"No, no. I'm fine. Just sore."

"You keep scratching at your marks, Ana." Gail lifted an eyebrow and her lips thinned into a line.

"Am I?" She looked down and found herself scratching at her wrists. "I guess I'm just itchy. I'll bathe after I eat."

XxXxXx

"I'd like to take a shower now. May I borrow a shirt?" Anastasia asked after they were finished with breakfast.

"Of course." She followed him into the main room and stood, waiting for him.

He turned back towards her when he saw her stop. "Come." He held out his hand.

"But, I thought women weren't allowed in your room." Anastasia mentioned slowly making her way to him.

"No, baby. Subs weren't allowed. You aren't a sub. Come." She took his hand and followed him in, stopping in the middle of the room while he disappeared into his closet.

She looked around and smiled. More blue. He definitely liked powder blue. He came out with a blue t-shirt and her smile widened.

He handed her the t-shirt. "Thank you Mr. Grey."

"You are very welcome, Miss Steele."

She turned on her heel and headed out of the room, ready to finally be able to climb in the shower upstairs. She hoped the stairs wouldn't bother her too bad.

"Anastasia! Where do you think you're going?" Christian called after her.

"To the shower, silly." She grinned looking behind her.

"There's a shower right here."

She stopped and turned. "You'd let me use your shower?"

"God…of course, Ana. If I thought you'd let me, I'd be in there with you."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Uh…no…I don't think that's…I can…"

"I know. It's okay. Go take your shower and then I'll put you to bed."

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I want to hold you, Ana."

Her heart swelled and a smile formed on her face. "It's much nicer when you say it that way."

She hurried into the bath and pulled off her dress, letting it drop to the floor and pulled her hair out of its holder. She caught herself in the large mirror and gasped. She hadn't realized how bad she looked. No wonder they were acting like she was about to break. Her throat was blue and purple, small petechiae littered her neck and the top of her chest. She had a bruise along her collarbone, a couple on the right side of her hip and bruises and half moon scratches on the inside of her thighs that made her stomach churn. She knew those were Sean's hand and fingernail marks where he tried to pry her legs open.

She turned and looked at her back. She only had a few random bruises along her back and a red spot on her left butt cheek where Grace had administered the shot.

There was a knock on the door. "Anastasia…is everything okay?" Christian called. He must have noticed that the water wasn't running yet.

"Yes. Just…No, I'm fine. Getting in now." She called out.

"Anastasia…what is it? Do I need to come in?"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "No, no! Please don't! I just caught myself in the mirror and was a bit shocked. I'm good now."

"What? Let me see." He tried the door, but it was locked.

The night before, Christian had been stuck behind the curtain while Grace checked over her body and took pictures, so he wasn't aware of any of the marks below the neck.

"No! Just stay there! I'm getting in the shower." She hurried and turned on the spray so he'd leave her alone.

XxXxXx

After she showered and towel dried her hair, she slipped on his t-shirt and entered his bedroom, hyperaware that she was still pantyless.

He grinned when she first came out, seeing her in his t-shirt, but his smile slowly faded when he got a good look at her.

"Oh, Ana." He guided her to the side of the bed where he had already turned down the sheets and sat next to her, his fingers grazing against the marks on her thighs.

"I just want to sleep, Christian."

He sighed. "Turn away from me."

"What?"

"I want to braid your hair."

Anastasia pivoted herself towards the headboard and allowed him to braid her hair. "You have such lovely hair Ana. So thick."

She felt him secure it with a hair tie and her stomach churned at the thought of where he got it.

"Relax. It's Mrs. Jones." He kissed the back of her head and she turned back towards him, pulling the t-shirt down.

He stood up and held the duvet up. "Climb in and scoot over."

She did as she was told and snuggled into the bed laying on her side. "Mmm." She hummed when the smell of Christian enveloped her. She buried her face in his pillow, making him chuckle as he climbed in behind her.

"Comfy?" He asked while he got himself situated.

"Mmhmm. Feels and smells like my own little heaven." Anastasia grinned against the pillow.

"Smells?"

"Just like you."

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against him, making her hiss.

"Shit Ana. I'm sorry!" Christian sounded half panicked and started to pull his arm away.

Anastasia laughed and grabbed it, putting it back. "You're fine."

He kissed the spot behind her ear. "Goodnight baby. I'll hold you until you fall asleep, then I have to go back to my office."

She felt her body relax and the drowsiness take over. She knew it wouldn't take long to fall asleep. "K. Goodnight."

XxXxXx

 _Anastasia opened her eyes, hearing voices around her. When her eyes opened she saw red. Red walls, red bed, people in red robes, hoods covering their faces. She tried to move and that's when she realized she was standing and attached to a cross. She was in the red room upstairs and the people in red were coming closer. Panic flooded through her as everything registered._

 _One hooded figure had a straight metal bar that looked like a cane without the end and the other figure had a gag. She started to thrash against her bindings and begged them to not to._

 _They lifted their hoods and dropped them behind their heads and she came face to face with Sean and Jansen, who both had manic smiles on their faces. She started screaming and thrashing as tears rolled down her cheeks._

"ANA! For Christ's sake, Anastasia! Please wake up!" Christian's voice rang out and her eyes popped open as he was pulling her into a sitting position, her side sagging against him.

She sat up straight, breathing heavily and started wiping the tears off her face.

Christian rubbed her back in circles and kissed her forehead. "Want to talk about it?"

"No." She did not want to tell him she was having nightmares of his red room.

Christian frowned, but didn't say anything. "It's almost lunchtime. Do you want to sleep or eat?"

Anastasia noticed she was itchy again and sticky from sweat. "I want to shower."

His frown deepened. "You've just showered."

"I feel dirty. I need to shower. I'll eat after." Anastasia stood up and disappeared behind the bathroom door, hoping he'd just drop it.

After scrubbing and putting his shirt back on, she saw that he had left the bedroom and her bag was sitting on the bed. She quickly found her toothbrush, a pair of underwear and some cotton shorts and she slipped them on and hurried back to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She picked up her dress off the floor and rolled it up, before placing her bag in the corner of the bedroom and throwing it on top of it.

She headed into the kitchen and found Mrs. Jones already there.

"Lunch, Ana?"

"Can I just have some fruit?" Anastasia wasn't that hungry, but she didn't want to deal with Christian nagging her about not eating, either.

"It just so happens I have a big bowl of fruit salad in the fridge." Mrs. Jones pulled out the large bowl, grabbed a smaller one from the cabinet and a fork and serving spoon from the drawer. "Take as much as you like."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Ana."

Anastasia put two spoonfuls into her bowl and placed the plastic wrap back on the large, white bowl. She looked back into the main room, staring at Christian's office door.

"Will Mr. Grey be eating with us?" Anastasia asked.

"No. Mr. Grey requested a sandwich to be eaten in his office."

"Has he eaten yet?"

"No. I'm about to make it now." Mrs. Jones answered.

"May I take it to him?" Anastasia asked, looking back at his door.

"Sure."

Once Ana had finished her fruit, she grabbed the sandwich and made her way to his office. She knocked on his door and heard him tell her to come in.

"Well, isn't this a surprise." Christian gave her a smile.

"I missed you." She set his sandwich down and he pushed away from his desk a bit, pulling her into his lap. "I didn't mean to make you angry."

He nodded. "I know, baby. I'm just not use to hearing no. Especially from a female. I'm still learning how to deal with it." His hand reached for her wrist and he let his fingers run over the bruise marks along her wrist.

"I like that." Anastasia mentioned, holding up her other wrist for him to run his fingers over. She had been feeling itchy all day and him touching her eased it. She knew it was all in her head; just because she was manhandled by those men didn't mean that she was theirs…they didn't even get her clothes off, but she couldn't help feeling like they were still _on_ her. Maybe if Christian touched everywhere she itched, it'd help.

He groaned when his calendar pinged on his computer. "I've got a video conference in two minutes." He kissed each of her wrists and then her lips. "I'll see you later?"

She nodded and kissed him once more before getting up and heading out the door, closing it behind her.

She tried to sleep, but couldn't. She didn't have her laptop so she couldn't work and so she decided to explore a bit downstairs. The first room she found looked like a games room and library. The first thing she noticed was the large pool table in the center of the room and that two walls were filled with built-in shelves that held hundreds of books. There was an old fashion wooden desk along the wall on the right side of the pool table. On the other side of the pool table, there was a large sectional couch that sat in front of the bookcases and an entertainment center that housed a flat screen television with random game systems on the wall opposite.

So Christian Grey _could_ be normal when he wanted to. She snorted at the thought. Christian never had a normal life, so why should he be normal? She knew he could act normal, but she was started to realize that normal might be too boring for her. She liked his moody, abnormal, weirdly charming self.

She concentrated on the books and randomly picked one, curling up in an overstuffed armchair as she read. She tried to ignore that her itch was getting worse, but as time went on she was too distracted to ignore it. She left the room and headed into the main room, noticing he wasn't anywhere to be seen and his office door was still shut.

Anastasia wished she had just gone home. Christian had told her he wanted her there to make sure she was okay, but he was hidden in his office all day. She might as well be home where she had everything she needed. She knew he had to work, but she couldn't help but be annoyed that he demanded her be there and hadn't offered to talk to her about himself yet.

She had told herself she wouldn't cry over what happened the night before, but she could feel frustrated tears coming to her eyes over the way her skin kept crawling and itching. It angered her because she knew it was all in her head. Her skin was clean. There was nothing there except for the marks that she couldn't force away. They were reminders of where her skin made contact with theirs and it was getting to her. She didn't want to allow what they did to her get the best for her. She would not cry tears…whether they were from fright, sadness, anger, or frustration…those two would not get the best of her.

As she got out of the shower for the third time that day, she decided that she would ask Christian to help her get rid of the itch. His hands on her wrists eased the itch and the anxiety tremendously and she wanted him to do to the same with the rest of the marks.

Even though she hated to bother him again, she gathered her courage and headed towards his office, knocking on the door and entering.

"Now what?" He growled and looked up. She quickly shut the door and hurried to the bedroom. _Shit_. She didn't expect him to be mad…well, maybe this was something she had to get use to. _His ever changing moods._

She closed the bedroom door and sat in bed, pulling her legs up against her. She hoped that it didn't ruin his mood the rest of the night. She still wanted to talk to him about what they never finished Friday.

There was a knock on the door. "Ana? Can I come in?"

"Yes, Christian. It's your bedroom."

He made his way over to her and sat in front of her. "I didn't realize it was you. I thought it was Taylor."

"You do that a lot." Anastasia mentioned.

"Do what?"

"Snap before you realize who it is." Anastasia bit her lip and looked down at her knees. "It makes my heart hurt."

Christian sucked in a breath. "Oh, Ana. I'm sorry. It's something I'll work on."

Anastasia nodded.

"What'd you need, baby?" Christian placed his hand on one of her knees and squeezed.

She shook her head. "It was nothing."

"Ana, it wasn't nothing. Tell me." He picked up her braid and slid his fingers down it, noticing the bottom was wet. "Your hair is wet. Did you take another shower?"

She hid her head in her knees and nodded.

"Oh…Ana." He sat closer and wrapped his arms around her squeezing her to him. "Tell me." He urged, kissing the top of her head.

She shook her head. She lost all her courage. She was on the brink of tears and she knew if she talked they would come.

"Anastasia, please. I can't help if I don't know." When she ignored him, he pulled away and grasped the sides of her head, making him look at her. "Tell me. Now." She could see his demeanor change. The domineering Christian was rearing his head.

She licked her lips and opened her mouth, but she didn't know what to say. "I…I don't know Christian…I know I'm clean and there is nothing there…but my skin itches. It crawls. I know it's all in my head, but the marks remind me where they were. I know it's stupid." Anastasia shrugged.

"No, baby. It's not. I understand more than you realize." Her eyes widened and he kissed her forehead. "What can I do?" He asked.

"Touch me."

He gasped. "Anastasia…"

She quickly pulled away, shaking her head. "No, don't worry. Not like that. Just over the marks." She held up her wrists. "It helped when you touched them earlier. I feel like I'm theirs. I want to be yours."

"You _are_ mine." Christian's jaw clenched.

He took one of her hands and slid both hands down her wrists and up to her elbows before coming back down. "Like this?"

Anastasia smiled and nodded. "Mmhmm."

He moved the duvet back and stood.

"Lie down. On your back."

She quickly did was she was told.

"Good girl." He straddled her hips and leaned down to kiss her. "Just close your eyes and relax."

He started on her right arm, sliding his hands up and down the length of it. After doing so four or five times, he took her hand between his and stroked it before pulling if up to his mouth and kissing his way around the marks on her wrist. He did the same to her left before taking her face in his hands and softly stroking down her cheeks and to her neck. He slipped his fingers around the back of her head to the nape of her neck and stroked down to her shoulders.

Anastasia took a deep breath in through her nose and sighed. "How am I doing?" Christian asked.

"Mmm…wonderful." She whispered.

He continued down and slipped one hand into the neck of his t-shirt to lightly rub against her clavicle and upper chest. He then slipped both hands up the sleeves of the t-shirt, letting his palms rub against her shoulders. He slid his hands back down her arms.

"I'm going to lift up your shirt, but only to your ribs." Christian warned and bunched up the shirt, pressing the material against the bottom swell of her breasts. He placed both of his hands against her flat stomach and she hummed when she felt his warm hands. He gently rubbed her abdomen up and down before moving his hands farther apart and sliding them up and down her sides.

He leaned down and nuzzled her abdomen and let his head rest against her for a few minutes. Anastasia slid her hands through his hair and stroked his hair while he laid.

"I love skin on skin." He whispered and kissed her abdomen a few times. "Your skin is incredible Ana." She watched as he sat up straight and ran his hands over her stomach again before pulling the t-shirt back down.

She watched as he crawled down her body before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She felt so relaxed.

He opened her legs and sat between them, starting on the right leg. He slipped his hands up under the leg of her shorts and started running his hands over her thigh. He bent her knee just a little so he could get the back and she placed her foot against the bed to keep it in position. He made his way down her thigh, taking his time stroking the marks and giving them a kiss or two before continuing onto her lower leg. He added a little more pressure as he rubbed her calf and shin, making her release a contented sigh. When he got to her foot he rubbed even harder, using the pads of his thumbs to press into her arch and was rewarded with Anastasia's soft moans. He took his time rubbing her foot before kissing the inside of her ankle and lowering it back down. He repeated the same process on her left leg.

"Flip over."

She looked at him. She was so relaxed, she didn't want to move.

"Do as I say, Anastasia."

Grumbling, she rolled over and he chuckled at her. "I want to rub your back."

Her eyebrows shot up and she immediately stopped grumbling. A back massage sounded heavenly in that moment.

"I'm going to lift your shirt." She lifted off the bed a bit and pulled the shirt halfway up in front so he had room to pull it all the way up in back. He bunched it at her shoulders and straddled her hips, taking in her back. She felt him still.

"Skin isn't pretty back there, is it?" She murmured.

"It's still incredible." He ran his hands down the length of her spine and let his fingers trace over the horizontal scars on her lower back.

"He missed." Anastasia mentioned, while he explored. "They would have never found out if he wouldn't have." She added.

Christian slipped down her legs a bit and kissed along her scars. "Then these are beautiful. They're your saving grace, Anastasia."

She swallowed back tears and decided not to answer him, hoping he'd stop talking.

Christian caught on. He slid back up her body and started on her shoulders, slipping his hands under the material as he rubbed. He made his way down, rubbing the kinks out of her back as he went. She let out appreciative sighs and moans as he went.

When she was completely relaxed, he kissed her back a few times and pulled the t-shirt back down before laying next to her. She turned toward him on her side as he covered her up and she laid with her eyes closed, grinning while she clutched the duvet under her chin.

He chuckled and turned toward her, relaxing into the pillow on the other side of the bed. She opened her eyes to look at him and giggled, herself.

"Better, Miss Steele?" He asked, knowing.

"Much. Thank you, Mr. Grey."

He smiled at her and they just laid there and stared at one another for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet relaxation.

"Talk to me, Christian." Anastasia said quietly.

He frowned. "You want to talk now?"

She nodded. "I want to know you...understand you. Please."

He sighed. "Okay." He placed his hand, palm up, on the bed between their chests and she reached out and took it.

"My first memory…"

 **A/N: I know I said this chapter would have them talking, but it got too long. Sorry to everyone who had been looking forward to it.**


	12. Chapter 12

Anastasia knew he needed the comfort of her hand in his. As soon as her hand made contact with Christian's, he started talking.

"My first memory was of my birth mother and her pimp. She was a crack whore who would do anything for a high. She would get so strung out that she'd be almost comatose and I remember him beating her with his belt while she laid on the couch. He hated me more than he hated her. I remember hiding under the table and seeing his boots coming closer, before he reached under the table and grabbed me, too."

Anastasia swallowed back tears. "So, he hurt you, too."

He nodded. "She use to hide me in her closet. I felt safe there even though he always found me, because it smelled like her. She never saved me from him. Her smell shouldn't have been comforting. When she'd leave, he'd hunt me down and throw me around and he'd complain there wasn't an ashtray, so he'd use me to put them out." Christian frowned, looking off, like he was recalling the memory.

"What? Oh, Christian! Where?" Anastasia slid closer to him. She needed the closeness.

"Here…" He pointed to his chest, "and on my back."

How had she never noticed? The only time he had been shirtless, the lighting had been bad. She brought her hand up to touch his chest and he grabbed it. "No, Anastasia. I don't like being touched."

She pulled her hand back towards her, feeling her heart breaking for this man. "I'm…I'm sorry…I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?"

He shook his head. "You never really touched me where I wasn't comfortable, except for once and I saw you catch on. My shoulders and up are okay. My waist and down is okay too."

"But, you pull me against you all the time…" Anastasia furrowed her brow.

"Your back is to me…and it's on my terms." Christian explained.

She nodded. "So, what happened with your mom?"

He reached out for her hand and she allowed him to take it. "When I was four, she committed suicide. I was stuck in there with her for four days. The pimp found us and called police and locked the door behind him and left me there. Grace was the doctor that examined me. I was starving and hated to be touched. She gave me food and respected my boundaries. She gave me my name. She's my angel."

Anastasia smiled at this. She could see the love in his eyes for his mom. "She gave you your name? Didn't you have one?"

He shook his head. "No birth certificate…no social security number. No one knew I was alive except her and her pimp. I guess the crack whore just had me at home."

Anastasia was doing the best she could not to burst into tears. "Your birth mother never called you anything? Do you even know your real birthday?"

Christian let out a puff of air and frowned, keeping his eyes on the area between them.

"Christian…if you can't talk about it, yet, that's okay." Anastasia squeezed his hand.

He shook his head. "I agreed to tell you and I want to be open and honest with you. I need to be."

Anastasia nodded, not wanting to push him faster than he was willing.

"They found a calendar on the fridge that she had marked my birthday on. She hadn't named me, but she had a nickname. She called me maggot."

Anastasia felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She couldn't hold her tears off anymore. "Oh, Christian."

"Don't waste tears on me, Anastasia. Really, I'm not worth it." Christian shook his head.

"Christian Grey! Don't you ever! If I ever hear you say that again, _I_ will be forced to take _you_ over _my_ knee! You are worth _everything_!" She wanted to squeeze him to her and hold him tight. The way he felt about himself was so… _cruel._

She sighed. "I wish I could hold you."

He gave her a small smile. "Lay on your back."

She did as she was told, not wanting to question him at the moment, and was rewarded by him coming closer. He laid his head on the front of her shoulder, like the night they slept on the couch, and wrapped his arms around her. She grinned and kissed the top of his head, running her fingers through his hair. Her other hand rested on his arm.

"Is this okay?" She asked.

"Yes, don't stop." He rubbed his head against her hand that stilled on his head and she laughed. She continued running her fingers through it and he hummed. Her smile fell and her heart constricted. She felt like she was seeing a part of that little boy that longed for a comforting touch. To distract herself, she asked another question.

"So, Grace saved you…and then what happened? Things got better?"

He snuggled closer to her and pressed the bridge of his nose and eyes into her neck. She swallowed back her tears as she felt her heart breaking for him a little more.

"Yes, it got better. I still had my issues, but Grace and Carrick were very patient with me. Elliot…not so much. He'd make fun of me and I'd hit him. Grace would send me to my room, but I never cared. It was worth it." She felt him grin against her neck and she couldn't help, but let out a giggle.

"I'm sure he deserved it."

He nodded. "He did."

"May I ask what he made fun of you for?"

"I use to hoard food, until I realized that they weren't going to let me starve again. He use to make fun of me and then purposely waste food, knowing it'd upset me." Christian answered.

Anastasia gasped, thinking about the popcorn she threw at him. "Christian, I'm sorry…"

He laughed against her neck, giving her shivers. "Don't be. It was a few kernels of popcorn."

She kissed the top of his head. "Keep going."

"Mom brought Mia home when I was six and that's when I really started opening up. I felt like she was mine and that I could keep her safe and it made me feel good…like I had a purpose. I helped Mom out with feedings, diaper changes, holding her..." he sighed, "Knowing I could keep her safe and that nothing bad would happen to her was the best feeling I had ever experienced."

This explained a lot. Suddenly Anastasia felt guilty about the times he wanted to keep her safe and she fought him. She rubbed his arm and he pulled it away.

"Don't. I don't like that."

She pulled her hand back and laid it on the bed. "I'm sorry. I won't do it anymore." Her heart ached at the fact that she couldn't touch him.

He sighed and pulled his arm out from under them, grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers before letting them rest on her chest, close to his chin. "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to being touched that way. You're the first person that I let openly touch me, besides Mia. She's aware of my boundaries, too."

"You never let your subs touch you?"

"No. Never. They were always tied up and either blindfolded or turned the other way. I didn't want them to touch me or see me."

"They never saw you naked?"

"Not all the way. I always wore jeans and just pulled them down a bit. I always pulled them up after I fucked or received head."

Anastasia blanched at his crudeness.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just trying to be honest." Christian nuzzled her neck.

"I know."

"I wanted them to know that there was nothing…intimate about what we did. No emotion…no love. I needed the power. I thrived on it." Christian explained.

"We're getting off track here…go back and go in order." Anastasia told him.

"So, as I got older and puberty hit, my anger came with it. I didn't have many friends and I fought all the time. Mom use to get so mad cause I'd come home with cut hands and broken knuckles all the time. One time, this kid got one over on me and actually gave me a black eye, so I gave him two broken eye sockets and a broken nose. The parents tried to sue, but with Dad being a lawyer, they didn't get anything."

Anastasia noticed he was talking about it like it was a fond memory. He was proud of his accomplishment. She sighed, and decided to keep her mouth shut.

"Mom sent me to work for Elena when I was fifteen." Anastasia's body literally jolted at the words. He kissed the skin on the crook of her neck.

"Elena…she came onto me and showed me the world of doms and subs. She made me her sub."

"AT FIFTEEN?"

"Calm down…yes, Anastasia."

"I knew there was something creepy about her! That no good child molester! How dare-"

"Anastasia! It wasn't like that! It's what I needed. I did better in school and got better grades and even got into an ivy league college…"

Anastasia shook her head against her pillow. "No! This is no different than what he did to me! She stifled your personality, Christian! She used a child for her own sick pleasure and you ate it up cause you didn't know any better! How long did this last?" Anastasia's body was shaking with anger.

He lifted his head and looked down at her. "Hey…hey…calm down…it's alright."

"No! It's not. It's not okay! How long?" Anastasia felt her teeth grinding together. She could barely contain her anger. She hated this woman. She wanted this woman gone.

"I was her sub until I was twenty and then she was my sub for another year while I learned to be a dom."

"Six years…six whole years and your family never found out?" Anastasia felt sobs starting to run through her.

"Sh…sh…please, baby." Christian kissed her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, her mouth, her tears. "Breathe, Anastasia…slow deep breaths." When she finally got a grip on herself, he continued.

"Of course they don't know. My mother wouldn't let us be business partners if she knew…she would have torn Elena to pieces."

"Business partner…Business partner? So you see her often?" Anastasia needed a Xanax.

"From time to time. Family functions, I drop in to her work just to see how things are going, and we go to dinner occasionally." Christian answered.

"I need to get up." Anastasia told him, trying to sit up.

"What? No, don't leave!" Christian refused to move.

"No, baby. I'm not leaving. I just need to move around. I've got too much energy to sit…and a drink sounds really lovely right about now." Anastasia felt like she was going to burst. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and throw herself on the floor in a hissy fit.

He nodded and stood up, offering his hand to her. When she rose, she grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him soundly. "I want you to know that I am not angry with you. Please don't worry that I will leave."

He gave her a boyish grin and kissed her again. "Come." She took his hand in both of hers and let him lead her out into the kitchen.

Mrs. Jones was in the kitchen starting dinner. "Hello, Mr. Grey. Ana."

Anastasia smiled at her. "Hello, Gail. What are we having?" She asked while she climbed into one of the barstools and watched Christian look through the wine fridge.

"Miss Grey had informed me that your favorite meal happened to be the same as Mr. Grey's, so we're having pan-fried chicken breasts, garlic mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob." Mrs. Jones smiled at Anastasia when she saw her eyes widen. She could feel her mouth start to water.

"Oh, yum! I can't wait! Can I take you home with me, Gail? Christian _really_ doesn't need you here, does he?" Anastasia grinned.

"Need I remind you of the pancake incident?" Christian asked, bringing over a bottle of wine and showing Anastasia his hand.

"Aw…" Anastasia kissed his burned finger. "My poor baby." He pouted and held it out again for her to kiss. She kissed it again and laughed.

"Gail will stay right here…and so should you." Christian mentioned, while pouring the glasses. Anastasia and Mrs. Jones both looked surprised at his comment. "Wine, Gail?"

Mrs. Jones quickly shook her surprised look. "Sounds lovely , Mr. Grey." Mrs. Jones placed a third glass on the island. Once it was filled, she grabbed it, said her thanks and turned back towards the counter.

Anastasia took a sip and sighed as it coated her mouth.

"So?" Christian asked.

"It's wonderful."

Christian shook his head. "Not the wine, Anastasia. What do you think about moving in?"

Anastasia went pale. They barely knew each other! "I…I don't know, Christian. Let's just see how the next couple of days go. One step at a time."

"I want you here. I need you close. This weekend was hell; thinking you never wanted to see me again…Anastasia, I need you here." Christian's eyes were lighter and glassier than she had ever seen.

"I'm not going to leave you, Christian. Let's just take it one day at a time. Why don't we go sit on the sofa and continue our talk?" Anastasia slipped off the chair and leaned backward, trying to stretch her back. She could feel it starting to tighten again.

"No, let's go lie down. You're supposed to be in bed today, remember?" He grabbed their glasses. "Gail, when will dinner be ready?"

"About forty-five minutes, Sir."

"Come, Anastasia." He handed her a glass and held out his hand, which she took, and he pulled her back into the bedroom.

After taking a drink, she placed her glass on the bedside table and sat up against the headboard.

"No, Anastasia. Lie down." Christian commanded from where he stood by the foot of the bed.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Make me."

His eyes widened and darkened. He set his wine on the dresser, grabbed her ankles and yanked her down the bed, making her squeal. Her center clenched deliciously and desire shot through her limbs from her core. When her head hit the pillow, she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Oh my." She could feel that her face was flushed and she wanted him to throw her around some more.

He climbed up the bed, his eyes still molten gray. "Like that?"

She nodded. "Yes." She said breathily. She liked it a lot.

"Me too." He kissed her, but pulled back before she could deepen it. "Let's not get carried away. We need to get you better first."

"Right. Yes, of course." Anastasia fixed her pillows and covered herself up. When she looked up at Christian, she saw him smirking at her.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I just didn't expect you to have that reaction. You like when I take charge."

"It's sexy." Anastasia confessed, staring down at the bed. She could feel her face heat up again.

"Is it now?"

She nodded, refusing to look at him. He grasped her chin with his thumb and index finger, lifting it, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't ever be ashamed by how you feel, Anastasia."

"I just don't understand. I've been worried half my life that some man is going to throw me over his shoulder and have his way with me…and then I meet you and that very same thing…it suddenly appeals to me. I don't get it. There's got to be something wrong with me." Anastasia relaxed back into her pillows and pulled the blanket over her head.

Christian pulled it back down and she looked up at him. "There is nothing wrong with you, Anastasia. It's called consent. You want this. I love that you trust me enough to know I wouldn't hurt you. There's nothing wrong with being playful. It's called foreplay for a reason. We'll play, baby and I promise I'll take it one step at a time. I want to stay in your comfort zone. I need to keep your trust." He leaned down and kissed her. "Now…where were we?"

"I don't like that you go to dinner with that woman." Anastasia mentioned.

Christian sighed. "We're just friends, Ana."

Anastasia shook her head. "No, she doesn't feel that way. I can see it in her face. I don't like it. She abused you Christian."

"Okay, Ana. Please…let's just drop it and move on. I won't go to dinner with her again." He slid his hand under the duvet and rubbed her abdomen.

She nodded. "So, after you learned to be a dom…how many girls have you gone through?"

"I've had fifteen subs."

"How did you pick them? Is there a Subs-R-Us or something online? Or did you just pick girls and convince them?" Anastasia looked up at him and noticed he was a little amused.

"No, Anastasia. There is no Subs-R-Us. All of my subs were already established subs before they were mine. I didn't have the patience to try to teach them. I didn't have patience for much." Christian shook his head, as if ashamed of himself.

"You seem to be doing pretty well now. I know I push your buttons a lot." Anastasia grinned.

Christian nodded. "I spend a lot of time on the phone with Dr. Flynn and do a lot of counting."

"So you want to hurt me?" Anastasia's brow furrowed.

He sighed. "It's complicated. I want to punish you for defying me, but I don't want to cause you pain. I don't know what to do with my pent up frustration. Running and sparring with my trainer helps. Dr. Flynn taught me how to count when it's in the moment."

She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Thank you. I'll try not to be so infuriating."

"No, Anastasia. Your fire is what I like about you…that and your heart. It's like a magnet for me. Don't stop; you challenge me. Like you said, I might need to be challenged." He leaned over her and supported himself on his elbows while his chest laid against hers. He looked down at her and traced her jaw with the backs of her fingers. "What else do you want to know, baby?"

"Do any of them work for you? Do you have a type? Do you know why you have the urge to hit and dominate?" Anastasia rolled off the questions that popped into her head.

"None of them work for me. I don't mix business with pleasure." Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "…okay until now. As for a type…yes. I do. I like petite brunettes with pale skin." Christian looked down and swallowed.

"So a very specific type?" He nodded. "Why?"

Christian looked like he was going to be sick. "Christian…tell me."

"You have to promise not to run. You can't leave this bed. I need you." Christian looked down at her, his gray eyes were hazy and pained.

"I promise."

He sighed. "She looked like that. I like to beat small brunettes because they remind me of the crack whore who named me maggot."

Anastasia's whole body went numb. "I look like _her?_ So you do want to beat me."

He shook his head. "No! No, I don't! You made me realize that everyone has a past and that maybe her past was so terrible that she didn't know any better. You reminded me of her in the beginning, but it brought out my protective side. With my subs I didn't just have the urge to whip them…I wanted to also protect them from the outside world, because she never had that. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's how my mind use to work.

"When I look at you now, I just see Ana. Not Ella, the crack whore. Please believe me when I say I don't see her in you anymore. You are stronger than she could have ever been. I have you to thank for showing me that everyone has a past; it helped me let go of the anger I have for her. I was angry at her for being submissive to the pimp and not protecting me…so I beat submissives when they defied me and when they let me, I beat them for submitting so easily.

"You are too strong for that. You won't stand for being submissive. You might look like the rest, but you're nothing like them. I never wanted anything as much as I want you. You've shown me so much more; you've reconnected me to my family and for once, I don't feel like an outsider. Please don't leave." A tear fell from Christian's face and landed on Anastasia's cheek, fueling her own tears.

He wiped their mixed tears off her face, his eyes holding hers, pleading for her to stay.

"Oh, Christian…I'm not going anywhere. I love you." She gave him a watery smile.

He nodded. "Me too, baby."

Her smile faltered for a split second, when he didn't say the words back. Unfortunately, Christian noticed.

"I do…Ana, I swear I do. The words…they're just hard. I haven't said them since the day the crack whore died. She said it back and then she just left me. When I try…its like my chest is being crushed…I'm sorry...I just-"

"Sh…sh…sh. It's fine. We'll take this one step at a time. If it's something that you'll never be able to say…then, it's something I'll deal with." The thought of never touching him and never hearing the words were painful to Ana, but she knew it wasn't his fault. She'd deal with it because not being with him at all was not an option for her.

When his frown didn't lift, she decided to try and distract him. What better way than with food?

"Think dinner's ready yet?" Anastasia grinned.

"Hungry?" He smiled.

"For pan-fried chicken and mashed potatoes? Mmm…always!"

He chuckled and climbed off the bed, holding his hand out to her.

Anastasia caught the Seattle skyline on their way into the kitchen. "You know what you need?"

"What's that, baby?" He looked amused.

"A big ole hot tub right out there." Anastasia pointed toward his balcony.

"Do I? Huh…guess Gia's been slacking."

Anastasia cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

"She's an interior designer…works with Elliot. She picked out the furniture." Christian explained as he helped her into her seat at the breakfast bar.

"A drink?" Christian asked.

"Anything other than liquor and orange juice in there?" Anastasia asked, smiling.

"Just so happens I went out and bought some Diet Pepsi, Ana. Taylor mentioned you asked for it last night." Mrs. Jones said, pulling a can out of the fridge and grabbing a glass and ice.

"You are incredible, Gail. Thank you!" Anastasia said as Mrs. Jones set her glass down in front of her.

"You're welcome! Food is almost done." Mrs. Jones mentioned.

"So, you really think we need a hot tub?"

Anastasia laughed. "Christian…when is there _not_ aneed for a hot tub? And with this view? It'd be incredible! Even when it's cold you can crank up the heat and snuggle." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"We'll get one tomorrow." Christian answered, making Anastasia laugh.

"Now, will that convince you to stay forever?"

Anastasia sighed. "One day at a time, love. I still have six months left on my lease for the house. All my stuff is there…and work has been so busy, I don't really have time to pack it all up. We barely know each other. What happens if we go our separate ways? Then I'm stuck with nowhere to go. Like I said, one day at a time."

"I'm never letting you go, Ana. You're my everything. But if you decide to leave me, I promise I'll help you find one. Hell, I'll buy it for you! Please Ana. Now that we've slept side-by-side, I never want to be without you. Friday and Saturday night were hell for me."

Anastasia was blown away by his honesty and, by the looks of it, so was Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones stopped and froze in her place, her mouth open. "Christian, let's just see where this week takes us." She still didn't like how new they were. It made her weary.

He sighed and slumped, looking deflated.

"Let's eat, shall we?" Mrs. Jones piped in, carrying over the food.

Anastasia reached up and slipped her fingers through his hair. "I'll always be yours, Christian."

He gave her a grin. "Mine." He murmured, and tucked into his food.


	13. Chapter 13

Anastasia was woken up the next morning by Christian's lips on the bridge of her nose. Her eyes fluttered open and he grinned down at her. She mirrored his grin and stretched.

"What time is it? Did I oversleep?" Anastasia sat up and looked at the clock. It was nearly 8:00am.

"I've got a surprise for you today. We're going to hide out in the games room this morning." Christian was grinning like a little boy on Christmas; his excitement was infectious.

"Do I have time to shower?" Anastasia stood up and headed toward the bathroom.

"Later."

"Let me just use the toilet and brush my teeth." Anastasia told him and shut the door.

"Hurry!" He yelled.

"Two minutes, Grey!" She yelled back, giggling.

Once she finished and pulled her hair out of the braid and shoved it in a messy bun on top of her head, she opened the door to a very impatient Christian. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder, making her squeal.

"You didn't say you were going to do your hair." Christian said as he carried her through the apartment.

"I would hardly call throwing my hair up _doing_ my hair, Mr. Grey." Anastasia cheeked.

Christian spanked her once, making her squeak. "No sass, Anastasia. It's too early."

"Do it again." Anastasia said from her place upside down. She wiggled her butt as much as she could, since her thighs were pinned between his abdomen and arm.

He spanked her again, harder this time. She gasped. "Mhm." She hummed, staring at his backside and wishing she could do the same.

"My, my Miss Steele. You do like to play, don't you? I think that vanilla is going to have a lot more on it than sprinkles." He chuckled as he shut the door to the games room and dropped her on the large sectional couch.

She noticed the couch was full of pillows and blankets and that the big ottoman in front of it held their breakfast. There was also a stack of DVD's next to it.

She looked up and smiled at him. "You mean you're going to spend the morning in here with me?"

"Yes, baby." Christian took a seat next to her and handed her an empty plate so she could fill it.

"No work?"

"None. I'm all yours."

Anastasia grinned. "Good."

XxXxXx

After breakfast, Christian used the intercom to call Mrs. Jones in. She brought in two glasses of ice water and took away the tray from breakfast.

"Pick a movie, baby." Christian told her, pointing to the pile.

She went through the pile and shook her head. They were all her favorites. "How did you know?"

"A couple of little birdies told me." He smiled.

She looked through the titles again and bit her lip. _The Notebook, The Proposal, Steel Magnolias, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Wedding Singer, Father of the Bride Part I &II, Edward Scissorhands, Mr. & Mrs. Smith..._

"Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. I love them both! _The Proposal_ it is." Anastasia grinned excitedly and held it up.

He leaned down and kissed her while he took it from her and put it in. Anastasia watched as he punched random buttons on the entertainment center and remote.

"Come." He offered his hand and sat down in the corner of the sectional, pacing pillows around him and telling her to sit on the chaise and lean up against him.

She did as she was told, excited to get to cuddle and watch one of her favorite movies. She leaned up against him and he held on to her, his arm over the front of her right shoulder and his fingers curled around her left hip. With his other hand he flipped the blanket over her.

She wrapped both her arms around the arm that was across her and squeezed, leaning her head against his arm. "Thank you for this. This is the best surprise." She looked up at him and he grinned and leaned down to kiss her upside down.

"Glad you're happy baby, but this isn't the surprise. Just keeping you distracted while they do the real surprise in the other room." Christian smiled and nuzzled her neck.

"Sneaky man. I won't find me complaining though."

XxXxXx

Anastasia giggled through most of the movie. As Ramon started his dance routine at Margaret's bachelorette party, Christian mentioned how funny Betty White's character was.

"Just you wait, Mr. Grey. I haven't heard you laugh yet, but I guarantee that you will be." Anastasia grinned up at him.

"It's hard to concentrate while you laugh, Anastasia. It's like music to my ears. I love seeing you so carefree…like in José's photos." He kissed her temple.

She turned her torso and kissed him. "You are so sweet."

He kissed her deeply. "You are the sweet one, Anastasia. My sweet girl."

He quickly flipped them so that she was lying on her back and he was on top of her, holding himself up on his elbow and tangling his leg between hers.

"Well…hello, Mr. Grey." Anastasia whispered, slipping both hands into his hair and pulling his lips down to hers.

He kissed her soft and slow, taking his time exploring her mouth, touching her, and learning her body's reactions to him. He learned that when he nibbled her lip, she'd whimper. When he squeezed her hip, her hips automatically rose. When he sucked on her tongue, her fingers curled tighter in his hair. He found that every time his fingers grazed her thigh, she'd get goosebumps and when he squeezed her backside, she'd moan into his mouth, her moan going straight to his dick.

He kissed down her jaw and neck and relaxed against her, nuzzling her neck. "I've never felt for anyone, like I do you, Anastasia. I never thought I'd have this." She continued to massage his scalp with her left hand and he hummed against her neck.

"Me too, Christian." She wanted to say she loved him, but her stomach couldn't take him not being able to say it again.

They laid and watched the rest of the movie and Christian grumbled that the ending would have never happened.

"Don't say that! It gives me hope!" Anastasia frowned.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Hope?"

"That there are nice guys out there who are willing to love and keep introverted bookworms like me." Anastasia shrugged.

"Am I not one? What are you saying, Anastasia?" Christian sat up and stared at her.

"You are…but I know my time is limited. I'm going to soak up as much time as I can with you."

"Limited? I'm not going to leave you, Ana." Christian furrowed his brow.

Anastasia frowned, a 'V' forming on her forehead. "Now that you know you can have a vanilla relationship, you'll soon find a gorgeous, high end woman that will fit in your world. I'm not stupid, Christian. I don't want to dwell on it. I just want to enjoy our time." She sat up and slid back so that she could relax against the couch.

"You honestly think that? What can I do to show you I'm serious? Do you want me to marry you? I'll marry you tonight. We can jump in my plane and fly to Vegas and elope." Christian slid over and grabbed both of her hands.

"Don't be silly. I wouldn't allow you to make a decision that you'd regret a week later."

"Is this why you won't move in? Please, Anastasia…please move in. I need you to. I don't want you to leave me." Christian turned and sat next to her in the corner, pulling her into his lap.

"I won't leave you. Let's just get through this week. Let's not let our insecurities dictate our decisions." Anastasia leaned in and kissed him soundly.

He slid her off of him and leaned down, grabbing something under the ottoman. He sat it next to him and pulled her back into his lap. He handed her the plain brown box and she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Decided you needed some things." He grinned.

"You act like it's my birthday or something."

"Just open it, baby."

Anastasia nodded and pulled open the box. Inside sat a large laptop with a blackberry on top of it.

"Oh my goodness, Christian! This…no. This is too much! I can't accept these." Anastasia stared down at the gifts, shaking her head.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your phone doesn't even have a qwerty keyboard on it. You said you needed a laptop to continue to work, so you can use this one." Christian explained and started pulling them out of the box. "I've already switched your phones."

He handed Anastasia her new phone and she saw she had missed calls and texts. "Guess I shouldn't have ignored my phone…"

She saw there were two missed calls from Mia and one text.

 _*Ana! Cs bday is on Sat n I need 2 talk 2 u PRIVATELY when u have time.*_

"Your birthday is on Saturday? Why didn't you tell me?" Anastasia asked, looking up at Christian.

He shrugged. "It's not that big of deal."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. "It's a very big deal. We need to celebrate."

"My mom always has a party. It's Saturday. I was going to tell you later."

Anastasia sighed and bit her tongue. She was annoyed at his lackadaisical attitude towards his birthday, but she let it go. She saw she had a voicemail from her dad and groaned.

Hitting the voicemail button she put it on speaker and jumped when he started to yell.

"ANA-STAS-EE-UH ROSE STEELE! HOW DARE YOU NOT CALL YOUR FATHER! I got a call from Grace Trevelyan Grey telling me what happened! I don't know why you don't find this important enough to call your own father! I have to find out from some woman I've never met! I need you to call me! Now!" There was a sigh and Ray's voice softened. "I love you Annie. Please call me."

Anastasia worried her lip and looked up at Christian. "I'll put in another movie while you call him." He slid her off his lap and got up.

She hit the talk button and held her breath while it rang.

"Anastasia! Are you okay?" Ray answered.

"Yes, Dad. I'm okay." Anastasia answered.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I'm okay. I didn't want you to worry."

"Oh, Annie. Dr. Trevelyan said you're pretty beat up."

"That's a bit of an overstatement. Just have some bruises." Anastasia rolled her eyes.

"She told me what they did to you. You could have died. He could have broken your neck." Ray sounded annoyed.

"It wasn't that serious, Daddy. They weren't trying to kill me. He could have easily broken my neck, but he didn't. That's not what they wanted." Anastasia tried to explain. Christian sat down next to her with a clenched jaw and hard gray eyes. She frowned at him, wondering what she did now. He pulled her against his side and she pulled her feet under her, leaning against him.

"I'm well aware of what they wanted Annie. Dr. Trevelyan and I had a long talk. They deserve a lot more than what they got. The doctor told me Christian broke most of the bones in one of their faces. It's a shame he didn't get his hands on the other."

Anastasia gasped. "Daddy!"

"I'm glad that he was there Annie. Dr. Trevelyan said he wouldn't leave your side at the hospital."

She grinned. "It's true. I told you he was a good man." She looked up at Christian and he gave her his boyish smile.

"I hope so, Annie. You deserve the world, baby girl."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, Dad. I'm going to go now."

"Is he there?" Ray asked, ignoring her.

"Yes. Why?"

"I want to speak to him."

"I don't think…"

"Let me speak to him Anastasia. Now."

Her eyebrows shot up at his tone, but she handed Christian the phone. "He wants a word."

"Christian Grey." She watched his facial expressions. "I understand….yes, sir….absolutely…" She frowned when he wasn't giving anything away. "I do…I will…I appreciate that, sir…that is a great idea." Anastasia tried to lean up and listen closer to the phone and Christian grinned, flipping the phone to his other ear. She scowled at him.

"Your daughter is trying to eavesdrop. We'll finish this later…yes, I'll call you." Christian hit the end button and handed it back to Anastasia, who was still scowling at him. "Ray says he loves you." He added, trying to keep a straight face.

"Are you two conspiring together?" Anastasia asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Conspiring? Not yet." Christian shrugged, a grin forming.

"Christian Trevelyan Grey!" Anastasia sat up and straddled him. "You tell me right now!" She demanded, poking him in the front of the shoulder.

His eyes widened and smirked. "I like this." He grabbed her hips and she took his hands and held them to the side.

"No, Christian! Tell me why you're calling my dad back."

His eyes were wide and he swallowed. "Are you pinning _me_ down, Miss Steele?"

She looked down at her hands on his wrists and looked back up at him. "Is there a problem, Mr. Grey?"

He growled and flipped her onto her back, holding her hands above her head while he straddled her hips. Her eyes were wide and her heartrate doubled.

Christian leaned down and kissed her lips. "No woman has ever…" he shook his head. "You are a siren, Anastasia Steele." He nuzzled her neck.

She sighed his name and pressed her body up against his, causing him to groan into her neck.

"Not yet, baby. Not here. Not like this. I want you better first and then I want you in my bed." He kissed his way back up to her mouth and released her hands. "Let's watch the movie."

XxXxXx

Anastasia was blindfolded and guided through the apartment by Christian. They finally stopped and Anastasia could tell it was the bedroom just by the carpet against her feet.

She stood there, biting her lip, knowing he was watching her. She felt awkward, hoping he would take the blind fold off soon.

"Christian?" She said, wondering why there was no movement.

His lips touched hers and she gasped at the sudden contact. She wasn't aware that he was close. His hand pulled the blindfold off of her as he pulled away from her lips.

She blinked rapidly, her eyes trying to readjust to the light. They were in his walk-in closet, but the clothes in front of her were women's clothes. She turned to him, shaking her head in confusion and anger.

"What are these? You're expecting me to wear left over sub clothes?"

Christian looked surprised. "What?! No, baby! These were all bought for you. I had the consultants from Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom pick some things for you."

Anastasia was shocked. She turned back to the wall of clothes and shoes and looked at them more closely. Why did he do this? Why did he feel the need to buy her all of these? Weren't her dresses good enough? Speaking of dresses…

Anastasia squealed and pulled down one of the dresses, holding it against her. "Eliza J? She's my favorite dress maker! How?" She turned to him and saw him giving her a megawatt smile.

"I didn't miss the fact that her name was on the tag of every dress you've worn. Mia and Kate also helped." Christian looked so pleased with himself.

She sighed and looked down at the beautiful purple sundress. "As much as I love this…this is too much, Christian. All of these clothes…these shoes…they must have cost a fortune. I couldn't…" Anastasia shook her head and placed the dress back.

"Anastasia…do you realize how much I make?" She shrugged at him. "Baby, I average about one hundred k an hour." Her eyes went wide. "All of this…the clothes, the shoes, the nightwear and lingerie…" He said, pulling open a few drawers, "they all cost less than an hour of work. It's what an average man would spend on taking his girlfriend out to dinner. Please just enjoy this."

Anastasia gave him a small smile. Having him say it that way, made her feel better. She stepped up and looked into the drawer he had open. Multiple pairs of matching bras and panties lined the drawer.

"I hope you don't mind…I bought you a few more thong sets." Christian mentioned.

Anastasia's grin widened and she shook her head. "I don't mind. You picked these out yourself?"

He nodded. "They sent me pictures of everything and I chose from there. I spent half of yesterday communicating back and forth."

Anastasia's heart warmed. Here she was complaining to herself that he was stuck in his office all day yesterday and he was doing this.

She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him. "You are one extraordinary man. This is all incredible. I can't wait to wear them for you."

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. "Me either."

"It'll be so nice to have clothes when I stay."

He frowned at her comment and she realized this was an effort to convince her to move in.

"One day at a time, Christian." She kissed him.

He nodded. "The hot tub will be here tomorrow."

Anastasia smiled. "Took my advice?"

"Anything that gets you almost naked and in my arms, Ana." Christian gave her an amused look, and she giggled. He turned and shut the drawer, pulling out another.

"Here are your swimsuits. There are some you only wear with me and then there are more public appropriate ones."

She picked up a pair of thong bottoms and cocked an eyebrow. "I might as well go naked."

"That would also be acceptable." He nodded.

Anastasia let her head fall back as she laughed. Christian slipped his arms around her and pulled her back to him.

"You are so beautiful when you laugh."

Anastasia blushed at the comment.

"So, you like it?" Christian asked, looking at her half of the closet.

"Yes, it's incredible. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but thank you. A little part of me is annoyed that you got your way about buying me more Louboutin's. Doesn't it bother you that I'm wearing another Christian's shoes?" She asked, unable to hide her giggle at the end.

He play scowled at her. "As long as he sticks to the feet, I'm okay with it."

"Can I take a shower now?"

He handed her a white Jonquil camisole and short set made of chiffon and satin. Her eyes widened. It didn't cover much.

"Relax. There's a robe." He reached up and grabbed one of the many satin and silk robes that were hanging on one side of the closet.

She looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow. She'd feel much more comfortable in one of his t-shirts.

"You belong in satin and silk, Anastasia. Don't question me." He turned her towards the door and smacked her bottom playfully.

Anastasia took her time showering, enjoying the hot water against her skin. She dried off, dressed, and found the blow dryer to dry her hair. She took a look at herself and realized that the satin set actually fit her perfectly and made her feel pretty. She slipped on the robe that stopped a few inches above her knees and tied it before heading back into the bedroom.

Christian was sitting on the end of the bed, reading emails when she emerged from the bathroom and he stood and made his way over to her. He pulled on the tie of her robe, keeping his eyes on hers. When she gave him a small smile, he took it as permission and slipped both of his hands inside her robe and placed them on her hips, forcing the robe open.

He raked his eyes over her body and placed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and sighing. "You look stunning, Ana. Your body is incredible."

He gripped her hips tighter, causing her to gasp. Her insides clenched deliciously and she wanted nothing more than to have him throw her on the bed and have his wicked way with her.

Before she could make a move to kiss him, he pulled away from her, closing her robe and tying it for her. "I can't wait to ravish that body, Anastasia, but now we must eat."

Anastasia pouted. She's much rather be ravished. She wasn't sure if she liked this level-headed Christian at the moment.

He chuckled and gave her a chaste kiss. "Soon, baby. I don't want to hurt you when you're already hurt. Come. Let's eat." He offered her his hand and she took it.

XxXxXx

"I've got some work I've got to deal with in my office. Will you be okay for awhile?"

Anastasia stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "Yes, Christian. I'm not a child. This work…it wouldn't entail calling my father back would it?"

A grin formed on Christian's face. "So nosy, Anastasia."

She rolled her eyes.

"I'll take you over my knee, Miss Steele." He warned.

"Promise?" She asked, looking him in the eye.

His eyes went wide and he exhaled loudly. "You are a minx, Miss Steele." He shook his head and tried collecting his thoughts. "I'm heading to my office. What are you going to do today?"

"I'll probably curl up in the games room and start on work, too. I need to call Olivia and get my calendar situated." Anastasia stood up and followed him into the main room, giving him a kiss at his office door before heading into the games room and firing up her computer.

XxXxXx

Anastasia slipped off her robe and placed it on the chair after brushing her teeth.

"No shirt tonight, Mr. Grey?" She asked, seeing he was already in bed and the room was dark except for the skyline through the window.

"You're in satin, Miss Steele. I'd like to feel you against me."

She smiled and slipped into bed, rolling towards him. "Can I see?" She asked, her eyes on his chest.

His face drooped into a frown.

"I won't touch. I promise."

He nodded and flipped the covers down, patting his boxer-brief covered hips. "Come sit."

Once she was sat straddling his hips, he put his hand out. "Your hands, Ana." She placed both hands in his left and he held them tight while his right hand reached for the side lamp, turning it on.

He relaxed back against the bed and watched Anastasia's face. Her eyes roamed against his pale, fit chest and her features slowly pulled down into a frown as she took in the small round scars that looked like chickenpox scars. She counted five total.

"Oh Christian…" She breathed. "May I kiss you?"

He sat up quickly and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her head towards his. She melted into his kiss and allowed him to deepen it. Christian flipped them over and held her hands next to her head as he kissed down her jaw, nipping her chin before continuing down her neck. She felt her nipples harden against the satin and knew they could be seen through the thin white satin and she blushed.

"Oh, Ana…you're incredible." He whispered against the skin on her clavicle and kissed the 'V' in the center on her clavicle one last time before he straightened and kissed her lips. "My. Sweet. Ana." He said between kisses. He released her hands and rolled off of her.

Anastasia tried to control her breathing. This was torture trying to wait.

"Turn away from me, baby. I'll spoon you."

She quickly turned, wanting to show him that he could trust her. She would not touch his chest…no matter how much she wanted to try and kiss away his scars.

Once the light was out and he was pressed against her back, she felt him relax. Wanting to reward him for letting her see, she told him she loved him; she got the usual 'me too' back and tried not to dwell on it too much. Instead, she chose to concentrate on the feel of his naked chest against her back, his chest hair tickling her between the shoulder blades every time he breathed.

Anastasia fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Bit worried about the smut in this chapter; I know FSoG fans are hard core about their smut and I've never had to worry about it before...still rather new to writing it, so be nice.**

 **I wanted to show a bit of Christian's inner dom struggle. I just don't see him magically getting better and being perfect first try just because it's Ana. He's still going to have that need to control. He'll probably always have it.**

On Wednesday, Christian had to go into work for half the day, so Anastasia spent her morning on the couch working on her laptop and watching the installation of the hot tub on the back patio.

She remembered that she hadn't called Mia and hurried to call her before Christian got back.

"Hi Ana-banana!"

Anastasia laughed. "Hello, Mia. Christian's at work, so what's up?"

"Oh! Great! I just wanted to ask you a tiny favor for Saturday." Mia sounded so excited.

"What's that?"

"I need you to wear your swimsuit under your clothes and stick a pair of his swim shorts in your bag. You can't let him know, though! Promise you won't tell!" Mia sounded like she was jumping up and down on the other end of the line. Anastasia wondered how it would feel to have so much energy.

"Um…sure, but what is this about? You know how Christian is. We don't want to upset him on his birthday, Mia." Anastasia was worried.

"When we were little, we would have shaving cream and water gun fights. Once he became a teenager he stopped and has been boring ever since. We thought that maybe since you'll be there, he'll loosen up."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Oh, I don't know about that…who's _we_?"

"Elliot and me."

Anastasia hissed. "So, your parents don't know?"

"I told Mom, but she was against it." Mia sighed.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, Mi." Anastasia bit her lip.

"Oh, come on Ana! Please? Just bring the suits and we'll judge his mood when he gets here. Puh-puh-puh-please?" Anastasia could practically see Mia pouting on the other line.

She sighed. "Fine, Mia! But if he's angry about it, you are going down alone."

Mia squealed. "Thank you, Ana! I'll see you Saturday at noon!"

"See you then, Mia."

As she hung up, Christian came strolling in, smiling.

"Good morning, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked from her spot on the couch.

Christian shrugged as he made his way toward her. "It was fair, but more than happy to come home to my beautiful girlfriend. I could definitely get use to this." He leaned down and cupped the side of her neck and kissed her deeply.

She hummed when he pulled away. "That was a good one. Give me another."

Christian chuckled. "My pleasure, baby." He kissed her again and tucked her hair behind her ear as he pulled away. "Glad to see you're dressed in regular clothes today since there are five men out on our balcony right now."

She giggled. "There is no way I'm wearing that satin thing in front of anyone except you and Mrs. Jones. I'd rather not even wear it around her to be honest."

"Are they being professional Anastasia?"

She rolled her eyes. "If you mean have they talked to me, the answer is no. They gave me a nod as they carried everything out and that was it. They've been dealing with Taylor."

"That one in the dark blue pants was staring at you when I came in." Christian said, burning holes in the back of said man's head.

"Taylor is right there, Christian. And Gail is in the kitchen. If I was by myself I would be locked in the bedroom right now." Anastasia reminded.

Christian nodded. "That's why I drove myself to work today. I wanted Taylor to keep an eye on them." He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her. "Why don't you go lie down for awhile? Go read in bed? I've got to spend more time in my office and I'd feel better if you weren't in their line of vision."

Anastasia shook her head and sighed. "Fine. You'll come get me when you're finished?"

He nodded and kissed her again. She grabbed the back of his head and slipped both hands through his copper hair, deepening the kiss. She arched her back and pushed herself against him, making him groan into her mouth. When they parted, they were both panting.

"My god, Anastasia." Christian rested his forehead against hers as he caught his breath. "You sure know how to make a man feel wanted."

She giggled. "Oh, you are more than wanted Christian."

He growled and pulled her flush against him again. She felt his phone vibrate against her thigh and he sighed and released her. "Work." He shook his head.

She smiled. "Go on. I'll see you later." She grabbed her electronics and headed toward the bedroom while he disappeared into his office.

XxXxXx

It had been two hours since Christian had returned home and Anastasia could not concentrate on her work. Her mind kept wandering to the beautiful copper haired, gray eyed man that was shut up in the office across the apartment. She heard Taylor say goodbye to the men about thirty minutes prior and decided she'd do something better than day dreaming. She was tired of waiting for him to decide she was better. She felt fine now and decided to take matters into her own hands.

Anastasia went to her closet and looked through the lingerie that hung on satin hangers, trying to find something to match her white lace thong that was still hiding in her handbag. To her surprise, she found the baby doll that matched them. It had a white lace bodice, a red satin bow tied right underneath and sheer white lace from the bow down.

She grinned, knowing he picked it on purpose. She grabbed it and dug in her handbag, finding her panties, before running off to take a quick shower.

Once she was finished and dressed, she realized she needed a robe and grabbed the white satin one from the other day. Her heart was beating hard against her ribcage and she was extremely nervous about what she was about to do. She had never seduced anyone before and she hoped she didn't screw it up too bad.

She peeked her head out of the bedroom, checking to make sure the coast was clear before hurrying over to his office door. She knocked quietly and entered, shutting the door behind her while she watched Christian. He was on the phone while clicking away at his computer.

He looked up at her, taking in her satin robe and sat back in his chair. She came around to the side of his desk and he turned his chair towards her, still on his cell phone. When she got a look at the computer and made sure he wasn't on a conference call, she slowly untied the robe, letting it slide down her shoulders and it fell to the floor, pooling around her feet.

His eyes raked up and down her body and his mouth went slack. She grinned at him and padded over to him, slipping each leg under the armrests and sitting, straddling his lap. His arm automatically went around her and cupped her bare cheek. When she sat, she could already feel his erection against her center; that mixed with his warm hand on her ass had her biting back a moan.

Christian cleared his throat. "Yes. I'm still here." He said into the phone.

She left one hand resting on his bicep, while the other played in his hair. She leaned in and nibbled on his ear, making him suck in a breath between his teeth. She continued nipping and sucking down his jaw line as he kept giving one and two word answers to whoever was on the phone.

She nuzzled his neck, coaxing him to lift his chin, and she continued down the center of his neck. She sucked on his pulse point and felt his dick twitch, so she ground her hips against him.

"Fuck." He gritted through his teeth and gripped her bare bum tighter. "No, not you Barney. Just send me an email. I'll get back to you." He looked down, between them. "I've got to go. Something came up." Anastasia bit her lip to keep from giggling into the phone.

He threw his phone on his desk and stood with her. Anastasia wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"You little minx." He smacked her backside playfully and headed toward the bedroom.

" _Your_ little minx." Anastasia whispered into his ear, feeling his erection twitch against her backside at her response.

"Again."

"I'm yours, Christian. No ones, but yours." She whispered, raking her teeth down his earlobe.

He slammed the door to the bedroom closed behind them, kicked off his shoes and climbed up the bed, laying her down against the pillows. He stayed, kneeled between her legs and ran his hands up and down her thighs while he took in the sight of her.

She laid grinning up at him, her arms relaxed on each side of her head. "I've missed you."

Christian's smoldering eyes softened and he leaned down and kissed her, his hands pushing the fabric of the babydoll up as he explored her abdomen. She groaned and arched her back, needing all the contact she could get. He kissed his way down to her neck, and seeing the bruises, he stopped.

Christian sighed and looked down at her. "Are you sure you want this? Are you sure you've healed enough?"

Anastasia groaned and shimmied below him. "Yes, Christian. I need this. I need you." She slipped her hands into his hair and pulled his lips down to hers.

He pulled away and studied her face for a moment before slipping a hand around to her lower back and lifting her top half off the bed enough to unclip the back of the babydoll. She helped by keeping her upper body raised and lifted her arms above her head. He pulled it off of her and she relaxed against the bed.

"Oh Ana… you're perfect." He nuzzled her neck again before kissing his way down to her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth while his hand began to knead the other. She gasped at the contact and arched her back.

"Oh, Christian…" She closed her eyes and slipped her hands through his hair.

"You're so responsive, baby." He reached down and cupped her sex. "You're soaked. Oh, Ana…that's incredible." He switched breasts and continued, pulling moans from Anastasia.

"Please…don't stop." Anastasia begged and gripped his hair as she felt her orgasm starting to stir. He sucked harder, pinching her other with his fingers and she came, crying out his name as her hips rose off the bed.

He kissed her lips and looked down at her, waiting for her to come back. "Only my name Anastasia. Never anyone else's. I want to hear my name come from those lips every time you come. Do you understand?"

She nodded against the pillow.

"Let me hear you, Ana."

"Yes. I understand."

He grinned and kissed her.

"Aren't you a little overdressed?" Anastasia asked, noticing he was still fully clothed.

"You won't touch me?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing below the shoulders. I promise."

He sat up on his knees and worked to get his shirt off, throwing it on the floor behind him and leaning back to unbutton and unzip his pants. He leaned over her and slipped them down, kicking both his trousers and boxer-briefs off.

When he sat back on his knees, Anastasia gasped, making him chuckle. "Don't worry, baby. I'll go slow. I'm going to unwrap my present now." He mentioned, staring at her panties.

"Yes. Please." Anastasia wiggled underneath.

"Try to stay still." He hooked his thumbs into the waist of her panties and slid them down her thighs. She pulled her knees up and he slipped them down her legs, throwing them behind him. "Those are now mine."

She smiled. "Yes, sir."

He sucked in a breath and grasped her ankles yanking them apart. She gasped at the sudden roughness.

"Knees up!" He barked and she automatically did as she was told.

"Good girl. You are so beautiful, Anastasia. Still." He ran his hands down her inner thighs and leaned in, kissing her wet center. Anastasia groaned as he circled her clit and her hips rose.

He pressed them back into the bed. "Still, baby. I won't say it again." His fingers moved around to graze her backside, warning her. She nodded and bit her lip, a little worried.

He slowly kissed his way up her body, giving her goosebumps as he went. She whimpered as his mouth found her nipple again.

"Oh, please Christian. I need you. Make me yours." Anastasia tried with all her might not to wiggle her hips.

He growled at her words and kissed her hard. "You ready, baby?" He took her left leg and hooked it around his waist.

She groaned when she felt his warm head at her opening. "Oh, yes."

Christian kissed her and thrusted, swallowing her cry, as he seated himself completely inside of her. He stilled, wanting to give her time to get use to his intrusion.

Anastasia had her eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the burning sensation to dissipate.

"You're so tight, Ana." He leaned his forehead against hers. "Are you okay, baby? I'm sorry."

She nodded. "I'm fine. Just give me a moment."

He watched as she slowly relaxed, placing kisses on her eyelids, her nose, her lips.

"Okay." She nodded.

He pulled back and pushed forward, easing into her that time, gauging her reaction. "Again?"

"Yes. Keep going."

After a few more thrusts, he heard her moan and watched her head fall back. "Feel good?" He whispered, nuzzling her ear.

She nodded. "So good."

"Yes. It's never felt so good."

She smiled up at him and began to meet his thrusts. He groaned at the new sensation. "You're a siren, Ana."

"Oh, Christian…please…"

"Tell me, baby. Tell me what you want." His eyes locked onto hers.

"Faster…oh, yes…just like that, Christian. Don't stop!"

Christian pushed himself up on his knees and hooked his arms under the small of her back, lifting her backside off the bed and he started to quicken his pace, pushing harder. Anastasia cried out.

"Easy, Grey." He whispered, reminding himself. He began to ease up.

"No! Don't stop." Anastasia begged up at him.

He quickened his pace again and thrust harder.

"Mmm, yes. Just like that!"

He groaned when he felt her walls starting to flutter against him. "That's it baby. Let go…use my name." He pounded into her and she came, screaming his name, as she gripped the pillows.

"Shit, Ana!" Feeling her walls contract around him sent him over the edge and he flexed his hips, coming as deep as he could.

Christian collapsed to the side of her, making her wince as he pulled out.

Once Anastasia caught her breath, she turned towards him and gave him a small smile. He returned it, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "Brilliant."

"Yea?"

She giggled. "I didn't know it could feel so good. I want to do it again."

His eyes widened. "Again?"

She nodded.

"Miss Steele, you are insatiable." He grabbed her and turned them, making her straddle his thighs. "You're on top this time."

"I am? But I don't know how to…" Anastasia bit her lip, a look of uncertainty on her face.

"I'll help you." He squeezed her thighs.

She looked down at his half-hard erection. "May I?"

"Oh, yes baby. Anytime."

She smiled at him and looked back down, grasping it in her right hand and rubbing the pad of her thumb over the head, causing Christian to hiss.

She gasped and let go. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, no! Please don't stop. It felt good, Anastasia. Really good."

She bit her lip and took a hold of it again. "Show me?"

He reached down and placed his hand over hers, making her grip him tighter and moving her hand up and down. After a few strokes, he let go and relaxed back to watch her.

"God, Ana. You look so sexy right now. Climb on."

She gave him one last squeeze before raising up on her knees and shuffling forward. He grabbed the base of his penis and guided it toward her center as she lowered herself onto him.

She gasped and then groaned. "You're so deep, Christian. I can feel you everywhere."

He flexed his hips upward and she moaned loudly. "I love being buried inside of you, baby. You feel mighty fine, Miss Steele."

Her insides automatically clenched around him at his words and he growled. "Playing unfairly, are we? You got it, baby." He flexed his hips again causing her head to fall back with a moan.

"God Ana…please start moving. You're killing me." She looked down at him and he grabbed her hips, showing her how to move them. "That's it, baby….good girl. Just like that." She bit her lip and stared down at him with hooded eyes as she moved.

Christian took in the sight of her riding him and he clenched his jaw. He wanted to flip them over…be in control. But he knew he needed this. She was stunning and he didn't want to dominate her when she was so free and sexy. He wanted her to love him…to show him.

As she quickened her pace and her breasts started to bounce, he almost lost all control. Christian reminded himself to calm down. He needed her to come first. He needed her pleasure. He craved it more than his own.

"Baby…lean back and put your hands on my thighs." His hands went to her waist and steadied her, keeping their rhythm as her back arched. When she was stable, he began to match her thrusts.

"Christian! Oh wow!" Her head fell back as she closed her eyes. His dick pressed against the sweet spot on her front wall, sending shockwaves through her system.

He reached up and cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples. "Oh, Christian! Oh please…I'm so close." She begged.

"Sshhh…it's okay, Ana. Feel it, baby. Hold on… Don't let go yet." Christian could feel his balls start to tighten and he forced himself to hold on.

Christian flexed his hips into her and held them, rocking them in a counter-clockwise position.

Anastasia whimpered. She was so close; she just needed that extra push.

"Fuck, I can't do this." Christian growled, his patience gone. He flipped them over and began to pound into her.

Anastasia screamed his name loudly and her legs started to shake with the force of her orgasm. She felt his cock retract and then lengthen as the warmth of his come coated her core.

Christian laid there with his eyes closed and relaxed his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry, Ana." He shook his head.

"For what?"

"I know I said I wanted you on top…but I couldn't…it was too-"

"Hey, it's okay. I like it when you throw me around." Anastasia giggled, making him smirk and open his eyes to look at her.

"Do you, Miss Steele?"

"Oh, yes Mr. Grey. Very much."

"You're going to be very sore tomorrow." Christian frowned.

Anastasia shrugged. "I don't mind."

"I should have been more gentle. I have to learn to control myself… never had to worry about that before. I've always fucked hard, Anastasia. I'm sorry."

"Don't. I asked for it. Hell, Christian…I begged for it."

He frowned. "I don't want to hurt you, Ana."

"I know. You didn't." She leaned up and kissed him.

Christian's eyebrows knitted together with worry and he slid down, resting his head against her chest and wrapping his arms around her. Anastasia's hand went to his hair like it always seemed to do and she slid her fingers through his hair while they began to doze off.

 **A/N: How do you think Christian will respond when he finds out what Mia has in store for his birthday?**


	15. Chapter 15

Anastasia was awoken by music. Blinking the sleep away, she realized it was the piano. She stretched, noticing she was, in fact, sore…but a delicious type of sore that she could definitely get use to.

She felt Christian's side of the bed and noticed it was cold. He had been up for awhile. She looked toward the clock and it read 3:17am. She frowned, wondering why he was up at this hour.

She climbed out of bed and grabbed her red silk robe that matched her red Lolita silk chemise she wore to bed. She snorted at the ridiculousness of it. Christian liked it, though…and if there was a chance that he'd do what he did earlier to her again…she'd wear matching silk lingerie and robes every night of the week.

She slowly made her way into the main room, not wanting to disturb him while he played. The piece of music sounded dark and melancholy and she noticed that Christian kept his eyes on the Seattle skyline. He knew the piece so well, he didn't even watch his own fingers.

She quietly made her way to him and he turned toward her, his fingers stilling on the piano. She saw that he was frowning.

"I didn't mean to disturb you." Anastasia said quietly, not wanting to disturb the quiet dark.

"Come." He held out his hand and she found herself automatically drawn to him. She took his hand and he moved his leg, pulling her between his legs and the piano.

"Woke up in white and went to bed in red…" He gave her an amused look while he tugged at the bottom of her robe.

She giggled. "Seemed fitting."

Christian's amused expression turned glum. He pulled on the sash of her robe and watched as it fell open. He slipped his arms inside her robe and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and pressing his forehead against her upper abdomen.

Anastasia frowned and slipped her fingers through his hair. "What's the matter, love?"

He shrugged and nuzzled into her.

"Christian…don't disconnect now. Talk to me." Anastasia urged, feeling him beginning to close himself off.

He sighed and she felt his hot breath hit the silk and heat her skin. Her core clenched and she told herself that it was not the time.

"You talk in your sleep."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh? What did I say?"

"That I am going to leave you. I told you I'm not, Anastasia. I don't like that you have nightmares where you beg me not to leave. I'm not going anywhere." He squeezed her tighter.

"I'm sorry I upset you Christian."

He snorted. "You're sorry you upset me? You're the one having nightmares about me, and _you're_ sorry?" He looked up at her and she shrugged.

"I don't like to see you upset. It makes my heart hurt." Anastasia explained.

"Tell me, Anastasia, why you would let me take your innocence if I'm going to just throw you away?"

Anastasia winced at his words. "Because I love you. You didn't just take it, Christian. I offered it; I gave it to you. I wanted you to have it."

"You don't regret it?" Christian's eyes were dark and full of misery.

"Is this what this is about? You think I regret it?"

Christian shrugged and looked down, playing with the bottom hem of her chemise.

"I don't, Christian. Not in the least."

"But the red…"

"Baby, I didn't wear the red because I felt like some scarlet woman! I wore it cause it makes me feel good…sexy even. I've never felt that way in my life. I guess it gave me confidence." She smiled and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Christian looked up at her and she saw a smile tugging at the side of his lips. "You _are_ sexy, Anastasia. I can't even keep my hands off you. Anytime you're close, it's hard not to touch you. Now that you let me have you, I don't know if I can stop myself."

"Then don't." Anastasia whispered.

He groaned and slipped his hands under the chemise, running his hands up her thighs and cupping her underwear clad backside. He gave her cheeks a squeeze and she hummed and squeezed his shoulders.

"I won't leave you, Anastasia."

"Show me."

He stood quickly and lifted her onto the piano, her feet hitting the keys, making an awful sound. She giggled and he gave her his boyish grin.

"Lie back….good girl." He pulled her towards the edge a bit more and slipped her red lace panties down her legs.

He sat back on the bench, making her core eye level.

"Open you legs for me Ana. Let me see you."

She did as she was told, placing her heels on the edge of the black piano.

Christian groaned as she revealed her most intimate spot to him. "You are so lovely, Miss Steele…so ravishing. I think I'll ravish you right here." He slipped his hands under her chemise and ran his hands up her abdomen and back down, making Ana moan. His hands slid down to her inner thighs and down her legs, taking a foot in his hand and dragging his thumb nail up her instep.

She gasped at the sensation. It was a strange feeling; it tickled, but it was a little painful. She half wanted to pull away, but she found her center clenching and her thighs shaking at the sensation.

"Fuck, Ana…your dripping. Do you realize how sexy that is? You want me that bad?"

She growled in frustration. "Yes, Christian! Please, do something!"

"Do you want to play, Anastasia?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, please." Her whole body hummed at the thought.

"I'm going to eat you and then you're going to climb down and I'm going to lean you over this bench and fuck you. Do you understand?"

Anastasia moaned and her legs started to shake in anticipation. He grabbed her thigh and turned her hip, spanking her right cheek once.

"Oh!" Anastasia gasped.

"I asked you a question, Anastasia."

"Yes sir…I understand."

"Good girl. Stay still."

Christian grabbed her legs, placing them over his shoulders and slipping his hands under her silk chemise, fanning both of his hands out against her abdomen.

Anastasia could feel his hot breath against her core, making her shiver. She practically purred when his lips made contact. Within minutes, he had her crying out his name.

Before she could recover completely, he grabbed her and pulled her off of the piano, setting her on her feet while he moved the bench so that the end was pressed against the leg of the piano.

"Ass in the air, Anastasia. Forearms on the bench."

She looked at him wide-eyed.

"Now."

She turned quickly and did as he said. He pulled her hips back, making them raise more for him and pushed the chemise up her back.

"Spread those thighs." She shuffled her legs apart. "That's enough."

He slipped his pajama pants down to his thighs. "I'm going to fuck you now, Miss Steele. Hold on tight."

"Yes, sir." She wiggled her ass at him making him laugh.

"You are brave Anastasia. My little sex kitten."

He reached down and rubbed his middle finger up her slit and back down, slipping it into her core. She groaned. "Please, Christian! Stop teasing!"

"What do you want, baby?" He rubbed himself against her slit.

She whimpered. "You!"

"What do you want me to do to you, Ana?"

"Christian!" Anastasia groaned in frustrated.

"Tell me. I want to hear you say it."

"Ugh!" Anastasia's forehead dropped against the bench.

"You wanted to play, baby. Tell me. Do you want me to fuck you?"

"Yes! Christian, please!"

"Please what?"

"Fuck me!"

He slammed into her, making her cry out and pulled back. "Now was that so hard?" He asked, thrusting again.

An orgasm came out of no where for Anastasia, making her scream and Christian wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from collapsing and continued to pump into her.

"My kitten _does_ like to play. We might get to seven before daybreak."

When she came down from her orgasm, she gripped the bench and locked her hips, thrusting them backwards to meet his.

"Seven?" She asked, panting.

"Orgasms, baby." Christian answered, tilting his hips and hitting her from a different angle, making her groan.

"You…you're counting?" Anastasia's head dropped back onto the bench as she felt another orgasm starting to build.

"I have all your pleasure, Ana. I want to be reminded how many times my name has been on your lips. Only mine." He felt his balls start to contract at the thought of getting to seven.

"Faster. Please. So close." She panted.

"Come, Ana." He smacked her ass, leaving his hand against her skin so it wouldn't sting, and it sent her over the edge.

Her whole body convulsed as he held her to him and he exploded a split second later. "Oh, thank fuck."

They collapsed onto the floor, Anastasia sitting in his lap. She leaned her back up against him. Laying her head back against his shoulder, she tried to catch her breath.

"I am so exhausted." She closed her eyes and already felt herself wanting to drift off.

Christian flexed his hips below her and she raised up so he could pull his bottoms up. He got on one knee and pushed himself up with his other leg, grabbing her behind the legs and back, and lifting them both.

She gasped as he carried her into the bedroom. "You're so strong, Christian."

He grinned. "Maybe you're just tiny."

She giggled and closed her eyes, letting her head rest against the front of his shoulder.

He deposited her in the bed, quickly covering her with the sheet and duvet, and she curled up into a ball and was asleep before he could even lean down to kiss her temple.

XxXxXx

Anastasia stretched out in bed as she woke, not ready to open her eyes.

"My little sex kitten's finally woken up?"

She smiled and opened her eyes to find Christian sitting up in bed on the laptop.

"I hope you don't mind that I borrowed this. I wasn't ready to leave you, yet." Christian mentioned, typing away.

"Of course, I don't mind. Use it whenever you'd like."

"Are you ready for breakfast? Gail is making pancakes." Christian mentioned as he closed the laptop and set it on his nightstand.

Anastasia's stomach growled on cue. She grinned. She felt famished after their late night escapade. Her smile dropped at the thought of Mrs. Jones finding their mess in the main room.

Christian chuckled. "Don't worry. I cleaned it up." He answered, reading her mind. "There was a mighty fine body print on that piano of mine. I'll never be able to look at it the same way again."

She blushed crimson.

"Don't go shy on me now, Miss Steele. Last night was incredible. I'd like to do it again." Christian leaned down and kissed her.

She smiled up at him. "Me too."

"I think that vanilla is going to turn into a hot fudge sundae real quick." Christian mentioned, twirling her hair around his finger.

"Mmm, that sounds good."

"You're just hungry, Miss Steele." Christian rolled his eyes, but he smiled.

"In more ways than one, Christian." She sat up to climb out of bed.

"You areinsatiable, Ana. You're going to be the death of me…but man…what a way to go." Christian shook his head in wonder.

She grinned at him over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom.

XxXxXx

"Sore, Miss Steele?" Christian asked, seeing her wince as she climbed into her chair at the breakfast bar.

"Very, Mr. Grey. Even my arms hurt." She giggled. "I really need to start working out."

Christian smiled. "I can make an appointment for you to train with my trainer if you'd like."

"I might take you up on that, Christian. As long as he goes easy on a newbie like me. I've never been to a trainer before." Anastasia picked up her fork and tucked in, moaning at the taste of Mrs. Jones pancakes. "Plus side is that I'll get to eat more of Mrs. Jones delicious cooking."

"Baby, you need to do that anyway…trainer or no trainer. I promised Ray that I'd make sure you gained some weight… and with the way we're going, you'll end up losing more if you don't start eating more."

Anastasia frowned. "I don't want to gain weight."

"There's nothing wrong with you gaining a few pounds, Ana. You'll feel better and be healthier." Christian reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"But what if you can't throw me around anymore?" Anastasia set her fork down. "What if you don't like the way I look?"

Christian sighed. "I promise there will never be a point where I can't throw you around. I like my women healthy, Anastasia. I promise I will not hate the way you look. You eating is a turn on, baby. If you aren't eating because of me…well…that's devastating."

Anastasia studied his face, chewing the corner of her lip.

Christian looked down at her plate. "Eat your breakfast, Anastasia. All of it."

She looked down at her plate, wringing her hands in her lap, and then picked up her fork.

Christian leaned over and kissed her temple. "Thank you."

XxXxXx

 _*Sorry to bother you, Mr. Grey, but do you think Taylor would mind taking me back to my house? I would take a taxi, but I know you aren't fond of them.*_

 _*Taylor is busy today, Miss Steele. You'll be just fine staying there. No need to go anywhere.*_

Anastasia narrowed her eyes at his reply.

 _*Thank you anyway, Mr. Grey. I'll be calling myself a taxi. Enjoy your day.*_

Her phone rang seconds after sending.

"Yes, Christian?"

"You will not be going!" He sounded panicked.

"What are you saying? Am I being held hostage, Christian? Am I never allowed out of your ivory tower?" Anastasia spat out.

"Why are you leaving me?"

She sighed, trying to calm her anger. "I'm not leaving you, Christian! I just want my car. I have some errands I need to run."

"Can't Mrs. Jones run them for you?"

"No, Christian. They're personal."

She sat there, waiting for him to speak.

"…Will you come back?"

Her heart ached at the pain in his words. "Of course. I told you I'd stay the week."

She heard him sigh. "I'll send Taylor to collect you in thirty minutes. _He_ will take you where you need to go, then he'll bring you back home…to Escala."

She grinned. "I thought Taylor was busy."

"Yea…well, he can do it another day."

"Thank you, Mr. Grey. I'll be ready."

"Anastasia?"

"Yes?"

"I…I…" He let out a frustrated sigh.

"I love you, too, Christian." Anastasia's heart broke hearing his struggle.

"Thank you. I'm sorry."

She grinned. "It's okay. I'm going to get ready now. I'll see you tonight."

"Okay. Laters, baby."

Her smile widened as she hung up.

XxXxXx

Twenty-five minutes later, Anastasia emerged from the bedroom in one of her new Eliza J sundresses (a pink belted, flowered print faille fit and flare to be exact) and a pair of pink Prada ballet flats. She had found a drawer full of sunglasses and jewelry and she finished her look with a short strand of pearls and a pair of square pink Chanel sunglasses, making her feel incredibly spoiled.

She stopped at the mirror in the hall and shoved her sunglasses on her head, in front of her high bun. Grabbing her cell phone, she posed for a picture in the mirror and sent it to Christian.

 _*You sure know how to spoil a girl rotten, Mr. Grey. X*_

After depositing her cell back into her pink Prada clutch, she stuck it under her arm and headed into the kitchen, where she found Taylor and Mrs. Jones kissing.

Anastasia gasped and turned, voicing her apologies as she hurried back into the main room.

She placed her hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. Her cheeks were burning crimson. Could that have been any more embarrassing?

"Miss Steele. I apologize for…"

"No, no Taylor! Don't apologize! You are two grown adults. I'm sorry for interrupting."

Taylor tried to conceal his amusement. "I'm use to you wearing heels, Miss Steele."

Anastasia giggled. "Next time, I'll stomp louder when I wear flats."

He waved his hand toward the entryway. "After you Miss Steele."

"Thank you, Taylor."

"I'll have to warn Mr. Grey of your ninja-like skills." Taylor mentioned as they made their way through the foyer and to the elevator, making Anastasia laugh.

"Taylor…please don't tell Mr. Grey where you take me today. It's for his birthday."

"Your secret is safe with me, Miss Steele."

She smiled. "I wish you'd call me Ana."

"I know Miss Steele." Taylor grinned.

Anastasia giggled. "You're more comfortable calling me that?"

He gave a nod.

"Miss Steele it is then, Taylor."

She checked her cell phone once they were in the SUV.

 _*You look lovely, Anastasia. I take great pleasure in spoiling you, baby. XX*_

"Where are we off to, Miss Steele?" Taylor asked, pulling her out of her giddy, love-sick trance.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I need to go to the RC store and the grocery store, Taylor. Thank you."

 _*Mr. Grey, do I get a picture back? I'd love to tell you how lovely you look today, too.*_

 _*You saw me in my gray suit this morning.*_

 _*But not this afternoon.*_

 _*No.*_

 _*Yes.*_

 _*I said no, Anastasia.*_

 _*Technically, it was typed, Mr. Grey.*_

 _*You are so infuriating!*_

 _*But you love me, anyway.*_

 _*Yes, I do.*_

 _*And I love you…*_

 _*The answer is still no, Anastasia.*_

 _*You are nothing, but a fun sucker!*_

 _*A fun sucker?*_

 _*Yes! You suck the fun right out of it, Mr. Grey!*_

He sent her a picture of himself from the chest up scowling. _*My palm is twitching.*_

Anastasia giggled.

 _*Maybe a dip in the hot tub will help ease it?*_

 _*I look forward to it, baby.*_

Anastasia grinned. Now that she knew she didn't leave Christian in a bad mood, she could start the birthday shopping.

XxXxXx

After buying a cake mix, wrapping paper, tape, and his gift from the RC store, Taylor informed Anastasia that he would be picking Christian up.

Anastasia started to panic about the bags in the back, but Taylor assured that he would take care of it. She was actually a bit excited to go, she had never seen his building before.

"Taylor."

Anastasia jerked her head towards the front, hearing his voice. She realized he was on his Bluetooth and looked back out of the window, staring up at the large skyscraper with the words 'Grey House' on the front. Her mouth went slack.

"Miss Steele?"

Her eyes caught his in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, Taylor."

"Mr. Grey requests your presence in his office." Taylor pulled into the parking garage and slipped into the spot that was labeled 'Reserved: Christian Grey'.

Anastasia turned her head and saw a fiery red Mercedes-Benz convertible next to them; the sign read 'Reserved: Ros Bailey'.

Taylor opened her door and she grabbed her clutch and suddenly wished she had worn heels that day. She felt severely underdressed. As their elevator climbed to the top floor, she felt her anxiety rise with it. She began to fidget.

"Nervous, Miss Steele?"

"Yes." She took a deep, cleansing breath. How was she supposed to act? How would he greet her? Would he introduce her to anyone as his girlfriend, or just as an acquaintance? She knew he was very personal about his life and he might want to keep them under wraps.

"Don't worry, Miss Steele. You look lovely."

 _Crap._ Did she have to dress like a fifty's housewife today? The building was full of sharp dressed, business women and she looked like June Cleaver with her pearls and fit and flare dress.

She smiled nervously at Taylor. "Thanks."

The doors opened and she took a deep breath. Taylor escorted her through the lobby and down the corridor with a comforting hand on her back.

The corridor opened to another lobby and three blonde women sat behind a long counter.

There were a few men in suits, standing close to a group of black armchairs, but none were Christian.

"Hello, Taylor!" One of the blondes called.

"Hello, Andrea. Will you let Mr. Grey know we're here?"

Anastasia watched the blonde Andrea pick up the phone and then she turned to take in the rest of the lobby. White, black, and gray. Anastasia kept herself from rolling her eyes. God forbid there's some form of color.

"Well, well…who is this pretty little thing?"

Anastasia turned towards the voice and Taylor automatically stepped to her side. It was a ginger man in a navy blue suit; he had his hands in his pockets and had a lazy grin on his face.

Someone cleared their throat and the three of them turned to find Christian making his way over. He had a forced smile on his face and his eyes remained on Anastasia's.

"Hi, baby." He greeted, leaning down and kissing her. "You look so lovely today."

Anastasia smiled at him, knowing he was staking claim.

He straightened up and gave the man a hard look before turning his head back to her, giving her a warm smile. "Anastasia. Come." He held his hand out and she took it. He gave the ginger man one last threatening look with a cock of his eyebrow before escorting Anastasia back to his office, Taylor trailing closely behind.

"Ros, this is my girlfriend, Anastasia. Anastasia, my second in command, Ros."

Ros had bold, auburn hair and brown eyes. She was tall and slim and was dressed incredibly. Even her earrings were the perfect color of blue to match her Jimmy Choo heels. Anastasia was mentally kicking herself for her outfit.

Anastasia smiled and took Ros's proffered hand, shaking it firmly. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Anastasia. I must say, I've never seen Christian so smitten before."

Anastasia's cheeks colored. "Oh! Well, thank you."

"I love your dress, Anastasia. You remind me a bit of Audrey Hepburn. Wish I could pull something like that off. Afraid it's pencil skirts and blouses for me." Ros smiled, making easy conversation.

"I appreciate the compliment, but I feel a bit underdressed. I wasn't aware I was coming until last minute." Anastasia looked over to Christian and cocked her eyebrow.

Christian gave her his boyish smile.

Anastasia shook your head. "Don't try that boyish charm on me, Grey. It won't work."

"Oh…she's feisty, Christian. Keep it up, Anastasia. He needs it. He gets his way far too often." Ros winked at her, making her laugh.

"Hey now…I _am_ still your boss!"

"Oh, come off it, C. Don't act like you're going to fire me. You know I'm the best there is. You need me." Ros retorted.

Anastasia stood, grinning at the two. She liked seeing Christian like this. She'd never seen him around his friends before. She already loved Ros.

He shrugged in defeat.

"The four of us should get together for drinks some night, Christian. Gwen would love her." Ros urged.

Christian grinned. "We'll see."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I know that this is a bit of a filler chapter, but I felt like it needed to be done. It can't be all hearts and flowers all the time. I wanted this chapter to be awkward and uncomfortable.**

 **Shoutout to erinlea16, HopelessShay, and sanjanasandeep232 for assisting me while I was stuck. You three are incredible. :)**

Christian threw Anastasia a Proenza Schouler strapless barbell-detail bandeau bikini.

She pushed her laptop to the side of the bed and picked it up. "Where's the rest of it?"

"Would you rather me get that thong set?"

"Nevermind."

He grinned. "Put it on. The hot tub is warming up."

She looked at the clock and realized it was after 9:00pm. At least Taylor and Mrs. Jones would be in their wing of the apartment by now.

She hopped up and headed toward the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" Christian asked, pulling off his trousers and pulling on his white swimshorts.

"I was changing?" She answered, watching him.

Christian rolled his eyes. "I think I've seen just about everything, Ana. Don't tell me you're shy?"

She shrugged.

He frowned. "Why, Anastasia?"

"Nothing. It's fine." She stood quickly and started to undress. Christian frowned, but turned away from her and headed into the bathroom, trying to give her some space.

When he came out, she was in her bikini. She smiled at him and spun. "How do I look?"

"You look mighty fine, Anastasia." He came over and wrapped his arms around her. "Absolutely edible." He added, staring down at her chest.

She giggled. "My eyes are up here, Grey."

"I'm well aware, Miss Steele." He grinned.

She couldn't deny that the top accentuated her C cups well. "Well, if that's the reaction I'm getting, maybe I should wear it on the fourth of July." Anastasia knew there was no way in hell she'd ever wear something like that in front of an audience, but she couldn't help, but toy with him a little.

His brow ridge deepened and his eyes became hard. "You will not."

"Don't you like your girlfriend strutting her stuff?" She teased, seeing his eyes flash angrily at her comment. "Don't you want the others to see what they're missing?"

He picked her up and threw her on the bed, dropping down on top of her. "You are mine." He kissed her hard. "Only mine."

"Mmm, yes, Mr. Grey. Only yours." Anastasia agreed, feeling his erection against her thigh.

"Do I need to tear this off of you and remind you?" He asked, pulling at her bathing suit bottoms.

She moaned. "Oh yes, please."

Christian's eyes went dark and wild looking. "I would love to fuck you into oblivion, Anastasia, but you've angered me. I'm going to spank you for purposely making me jealous."

Her eyes widened. This is not what she had signed up for.

"Then we will get in the hot tub…and if I feel like you've been punished enough, I'll fuck you."

Anastasia looked at him, numb. She wasn't sure how she felt about this. Part of her wanted to let him and go with the flow…but the other part felt like they were dipping dangerously close to the world she didn't want anything to do with. She was conflicted and she wasn't ready for a punishment spanking.

Christian watched her as she was frozen. "Anastasia?"

Her eyes darted to his.

"Do you understand?"

Her face paled. He wasn't giving her an out. She knew how this worked. If she fought it, her punishment would just be worse. Her heart sunk painfully into her stomach. "I understand."

Christian smiled and turned her on her stomach. She immediately closed her eyes, forced herself to be numb, grabbed a happy memory and played it in her head…it was something she taught herself to do when she was a little girl.

"I'm going to spank you five times." Christian told her as he pulled her bottoms down.

Anastasia buried her face in the bed and tucked her arms in between herself and the bed. _Numb, numb, numb._ She chanted in her head. She felt tears wanting to bubble over and got angry with herself for being weak. She half wanted to tell Christian to give her two more because of it.

Christian hit her hard and she bit into her bottom lip and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. The pain brought back strong memories and she felt her stomach churn, the bile rising to her throat. She kept still and reminded herself to push her emotions away. He hit her a second time and she could hear her birth father's laugh in her head. She whimpered and tried to push away the memory. The third smack brought his face into her minds eye and cried out. The fourth smack sent her over the edge as she pictured his rough hand touching her and before she realized what she was saying, she was begging. "Please, Daddy! Stop!" The words came out muffled into the mattress.

She gasped at her words and Christian suddenly stilled. She could feel herself redden from the tip of her hair to her toes. Turning her head, Anastasia immediately began to apologize. "Christian, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

His weight came off the bed and she heard the bathroom door slam. Anastasia felt her breath leave her along with a sob. Christian would never want to speak to her again. She fucked up.

Christian had told her that he didn't want to hurt her, that he only wanted to play, but tonight he wasn't playing. He was punishing her for teasing him and for making him jealous and he wanted to hurt her. Maybe this relationship was never meant to be. Both of them were too fucked up to be able to coexist in a healthy relationship.

Anastasia turned to pull her bottoms up, wincing as it slid against her sore bottom and stood up. She stood there, not knowing what to do. Should she get dressed and head out? Should she knock on the bathroom door and try to apologize again? She was frozen in the middle of the room, stuck between a rock and a hard place. She felt extremely naked for how emotionally raw she felt and grabbed her shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head.

The bathroom door swung open and Christian started stalking over to her, stepping heavily against the floor. She backed up to the wall and slipped down to her knees, looking down. Maybe if she showed him she didn't mean any harm, he wouldn't punish her more. She wanted to kick herself when she realized her arms were shaking. She had better control of her emotions at eleven years old than she did at twenty-two.

She saw his feet come closer and she shut her eyes, not sure what to expect next.

Christian dropped to his knees and pulled her to him. "Anastasia...baby. I'm sorry. I am so sorry. Please...please don't leave me." His own body was shaking as he held her. "I know I'm a monster, Ana... I don't deserve you, but I'm too selfish to let you go without a fight."

Anastasia shook her head, swallowing back her sobs that were crushing her chest. "I'm sorry, I'm not strong enough."

"No, Anastasia! You are strong! You trusted me...I promised you I would never hurt you. This is my fault." After a few minutes of silence from Anastasia, Christian pressed his face into her neck and gave a shaky sigh. "Okay, Ana. I'll have Taylor take you home."

Anastasia felt panicked. "No! Please don't make me go!" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Please don't make me leave." She couldn't hold her tears back, anymore. She started to sob into his shoulder. Even though he went too far, she needed him. The thought of going home to an empty house and trying to just forget him was too painful.

"Okay, baby...it's okay. You don't have to. I don't want you to." He held her tighter to him. "I'm a monster, Anastasia. I hurt you. Why do you want to stay?"

She sniffled and pulled back enough to look at his face. "I love you. I want to stay. I'm sorry I can't give you what you need. I'm just not ready for this yet. I don't know if I will ever be ready."

He wiped her tears off her face. "Anastasia...I'm like a recovering alcoholic. I want to get better. I don't _need_ it, Anastasia...I'm trying my hardest to get that dom-sub mindset out of my head, but it's all I've known."

Anastasia searched his hollow, gray eyes. "What's going to happen to us?"

"I think we need to see Flynn." Christian answered.

Anastasia nodded. This was the first time she had noticed their co-dependent relationship. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and laid her head on his shoulder. Logically, she knew she should be worried about the co-dependence, but she was too emotional to let him go. Not ten minutes ago, she thought he was going to get rid of her. She didn't understand why she felt the need to cling to him, when he had hurt her...his actions brought back painful memories for her, but she couldn't let go. She felt like her whole world would fall apart if she was forced to walk away from him.

People make mistakes, right? He made a mistake by pushing her past her comfort zone when he promised he wouldn't and she made a mistake by shouting what she did. They both made a mistake, so why should she hold it against him? Hopefully Dr. Flynn would be able to shed some light on the subject and help make them better.

"Why didn't you tell me no, Anastastia?" Christian asked, after awhile.

"You didn't give me that option."

"Oh, Ana...you always have that option. I never want to spank you against your will. You made it sound like you liked it...I thought it was okay. I should have never assumed. I'm sorry, baby."

Anastasia shook her head. "I like it when we play...the spanking. But, I don't like it when you want to hurt me. It scares me."

Christian's 'V' deepened. "I don't want to scare you. I want you to feel safe."

"I do, Christian. This would have never happened if I didn't tease you. I knew you had a jealousy issue and I still did it. I would never wear this in front of anyone else. I hope you know that. I promise I won't try to make you jealous anymore."

"It isn't your fault, Anastasia. I promise I won't punish you again."

"Can we stop blaming ourselves for awhile and just enjoy the hot tub for now?" Anastasia asked, looking for a way out of the conversation for the time being. She knew it would come back up when they spoke with Flynn and she didn't want to fixate on it at the moment. She wanted to let her coping mechanism of avoidance take over for the time being. She just wanted to live in the fantasy world where everything was perfect for a little while longer.

"You still want to?" Christian asked, surprised.

"I'd like to...I mean if you wanted to. It's okay if you're not in the mood now. What I said was pretty mortifying. I understand if you're too upset with me." Anastasia explained, giving him an easy out. "Nevermind...it was a stupid idea. I'll..." She looked around. She didn't know what to do. "I'll just get ready for bed. Would you like me to stay in the guest room?"

Christian's eyes hardened. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"When you start to think that I don't want to do something, you start to ramble and then change your mind before I can even answer."

Anastasia frowned. "I don't want you to feel like you have to..." _And it's easier than rejection..._ There was no way in hell she would ever admit it.

Christian sighed and stood up, pulling her up with him. "Anastasia, I don't want you to worry about that. I know I don't have to do anything. Let's see if we can salvage the evening."

She smiled and lifted her arms, making Christian give her an odd look.

"Well, you seem to have this thing with dressing me, so..." She shrugged.

He grinned and pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her bikini top again. "Yes, Miss Steele. It happens to be one of my favorite past times...especially the un part."

Anastasia giggled and held out her hand. "Come."

He quirked an eyebrow and took her hand. "Yes, ma'am." She sauntered out the door, pulling him behind her and he grabbed her, picking her up behind her legs and back, and hurrying to the patio door.

She shook her head, giggling.

"I tried, Miss Steele..."

"I know, baby."

XxXxXx

"I want to try something." Christian mentioned while Anastasia was curled up in his lap in the hot tub.

Anastasia picked up her head from his shoulder and looked at him.

"Let me see your hand."

Her hand rose out of the water and she held it out to him.

He took her hand and placed it flat against his chest, making her gasp. She could feel his heart pounding. His face looked like he was in pain and he wasn't breathing. She tried to pull away, but he pressed his hand to the back of hers, holding it there. "Don't move. I need this."

Her heart ached, seeing how painful it looked for him. Why was he willing to go through this?

Christian pulled her hand off of his chest and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"Christian, you don't have to do this. It's okay."

He shook his head. "No, I need this. I need to overcome this. I know you want to touch me...I want you to touch me...it's frustrating that you can't and I want you to help me get over it. We both have our demons, Anastasia. I want you to help me with mine and I hope you will let me do the same."

Anastasia smiled. "I'd like that."

Christian stared at her wrists and frowned. "These bruises looked better earlier..."

Anastasia nodded. "I put makeup on after my shower this morning. I didn't want to run errands with these ugly things all over me."

His eyes went to her neck and he cupped some water in his hand and poured it over her neck, using his hand to wipe away the makeup. Anastasia stayed still and allowed him to wash away the rest of her makeup.

"Does it look better?" She asked.

"It's starting to. Becoming more yellow than black and blue." Christian answered and leaned down to kiss her neck.

She lifted her wrists and looked them over.

"You're all pruny, baby." He mentioned, taking her hand in his. "Let's go to bed."

"Can I wear one of your t-shirts tonight?" She asked, climbing out.

He climbed out quickly and wrapped her towel around her, rubbing her arms up and down. "Absolutely. I like it when you wear my clothes."

She leaned up and kissed him deeply. "I love you." She whispered against his lips.

She felt his grin form against her own lips. "Me too, baby."

They made their way through the apartment, to the bedroom and Anastasia shivered at the feel of the air conditioning against her warm skin. Christian went to the closet and she went straight into the bathroom to hang her suit up in the shower. She came back out in her towel and saw him standing there with his shirt. She hurried to him and dropped her towel, shivering again.

"Hurry! It's cold!" She said as he helped her into it.

He chuckled. "Get into bed, I'll warm you up."

He slipped his bottoms off and hung them next to hers before slipping on some pajama pants and climbing into bed. Anastasia automatically backed up to him, looking for some form of warmth.

Slipping his arms around her and pulling her flush against his chest, he nuzzled her neck and tangled his legs with hers, covering her cold feet with his.

"Better?" He asked.

She grinned and closed her eyes. "Much."

XxXxXx

"I can see just by the look on your face that you're confused. What are you confused about Christian?" Dr. Flynn asked as they sat in his office on Friday, before lunch. Christian had just finished explaining what happened on Wednesday night.

Christian slid his fingers through his hair and sighed. "She says she wants to play, but I don't know where to stop. It's hard. I didn't even know I was pushing her boundaries. I regret it; I wish I had never done it...but she never told me to stop. Didn't tell me not to when I explained what I was going to do...How am I supposed to play if I can't trust her to tell me when she can't handle it?"

Flynn nodded. "You feel that the trust is broken because she wasn't honest with you. How do you feel about that Anastasia?"

Anastasia frowned. "I'm sorry, Christian. I don't know how to fix it. I can't take back what I said." She looked down at her knotted fingers.

"What you said isn't Christian's problem, Anastasia. It's the fact that you didn't tell him no. He is upset cause he hurt you and pushed you past your limits."

She chewed her lip. "He never told me I had an option. He was already angry and I didn't want to make him angrier."

"I don't understand what happened, Anastasia! You are such a strong woman and you never have a problem with telling me how you feel and then Wednesday night comes around and you freeze up! Why? Why was it different?" Christian was starting to get loud and was now pacing.

"Because..."

"Because is not an answer Ana!" Christian yelled, frustrated.

Anastasia winced.

"Christian...if you want to talk about this, you need to stay calm and communicate like an adult." Dr. Flynn warned.

Christian sighed and plopped down on his side of the couch.

"You were so angry. I was just teasing...but then I saw the anger in your eyes... and I didn't want you to be even more angry...I was worried that if I fought it, that the punishment later would just be worse. I just wanted it over with and move on. I knew I wasn't ready for it, but I didn't think I would react that way. It brought back things that I don't want to deal with." Anastasia explained quietly, refusing to look up from her hands.

"You always have a choice Ana. I don't want to hurt you. What happened will never happen again. I think we should put playing on the back burner for now...until we can trust one another again." Christian answered, looking toward her. She nodded, but refused to look at him.

Flynn cleared his throat. "Anastasia...maybe it would help if you explained more of your past to Christian."

Anastasia's eyes widened and she stared up at Flynn. "I...I don't know if I'm ready for that, yet. He doesn't need to know specifics. He's aware of what happened."

"I think it would help, Anastasia. Would you be more comfortable talking about it to me first?" Dr. Flynn asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"Ana...please know you can tell me anything..." Christian pleaded.

"Christian...this isn't about you. This is about Anastasia and her well being. You have been in therapy for a long time. She's never been. She deserves to talk to a professional and get it straight in her head before she tells anyone else. Don't take it personal." Flynn cut in.

Anastasia looked over at Christian and saw that he had his mask on. His eyes were hard and his lips were set in a line. Her stomach plummeted.

"Anastasia, I'd like to see you on Monday evening, if possible. Is 5:30 okay?" Dr. Flynn asked as he stood, signaling that their time was up.

"Yes, that will be fine." Anastasia nodded.

"Christian...do not push her into anything. When she is ready, we will bring you in and we will have a session together." Dr. Flynn urged.

Christian looked at Flynn for a moment, stone faced, before he put a hand on Anastasia's back and ushered them both out.

As they stood in the elevator, Anastasia felt her heart trying to beat out of her chest. She didn't know what to say...how to act. She didn't know what Christian was thinking or what mood he'd be in.

Christian stared at her, frowning. She bit her lip to keep it from trembling, but Christian noticed.

"Oh, Anastasia." Christian pulled her to him and held her tight. "I'll try to be patient, baby."

The doors opened and he released her and took her hand, leading her out and to the SUV.

He opened her door for her and helped her in, lifting her chin and giving her a kiss and an encouraging smile.

He hurried around to his side and climbed in, sliding to the middle and putting a comforting arm around her.

"Escala, Taylor." Christian announced, making Anastasia's eyes widen.

"You aren't going to work?" She asked, looking up at him.

He smiled. "I'd rather spend the afternoon wrapped up in a blanket and a movie in the games room with you...after lunch of course."

Anastasia gave him a megawatt smile and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I need to be close to you, Anastasia."

Her heart leapt and she felt her whole body relax; the anxiety was gone. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Me too."

 **A/N: Next up- Christian's birthday!**


	17. Chapter 17

Anastasia woke up before Christian on Saturday morning. Grinning, she slipped out of his grip and sighed in relief when he didn't wake.

She opened the bedroom door quietly and hurried into the kitchen. Finding Mrs. Jones, Anastasia asked her for the present she had her hide in their wing of the apartment. Anastasia had wrapped it on Thursday while Christian was at work and ordered a few balloons that Taylor promised he'd pick up.

"You have perfect timing, Ana. Taylor just came back with your balloons. I'll be right back." Mrs. Jones told her.

Anastasia tried to keep herself from doing an excited dance in the main room while she waited for Mrs. Jones to reappear. When she appeared with the wrapped present and the balloons, Anastasia couldn't contain her excitement and let out a small squeal and bounced on the pads of her feet. She stopped quickly, realizing she must look like Mia and laughed at herself.

"Oh, these balloons are perfect! Please tell Taylor thank you from me." The gift was wrapped in powder blue paper with grey polka dots and the balloons were tied around it. There was a large blue helicopter mylar balloon with three grey latex balloons.

Mrs. Jones smiled and handed Anastasia the package.

"Thank you Gail! We'll be out in a bit!" Anastasia hurried back to the bedroom.

Peeking in, she saw him still in bed, his eyes closed and his chest moving up and down deeply. She ducked into the closet and placed the package down before looking through her lingerie. She didn't have much in gray or light blue. She picked a gray Cosabella 'Minoa' babydoll chemise and a gray low rise lace thong. They hadn't done anything since Wednesday morning and she hoped that he was up for what she had in store. She braided her hair in a side braid and grabbed his package before heading back to bed.

Anastasia placed the package on her side of the bed and laid next to him, leaning in and kissing his lips.

Christian's eyes fluttered open and a smile formed on his face. She smiled back at him, loving how adorable he always looked in the morning.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Grey."

His eyes travelled down her body. "Happy birthday, indeed, Miss Steele."

"Are you ready for your first present?" She asked.

He pulled his eyes off of her body and looked back into her blue eyes. "What's that, baby?"

"Your birthday blow job." Anastasia stated simply.

His eyes widened. "Now?"

"If you'd like." Anastasia nodded.

"Oh, yes please." Christian nodded.

She leaned in and kissed him. "Your manners are getting better, Mr. Grey. I'm going to uncover you now."

He nodded and she pulled the duvet and sheet down to his knees, the tent in his pants greeting her.

She grinned. "So eager, Mr. Grey. I suppose this is one way to get rid of your morning wood."

He laughed. "The preferred way, Miss Steele."

She straddled his knees and slipped her thumbs into the hem of his pajama pants. He flexed his hips upward so she could pull them down easier. Once they were down to his knees, she readjusted herself and leaned down, kissing the head of his penis.

He hummed when he felt her warm lips on him.

She opened her mouth and took him in, circling her tongue around his tip, making him hiss and flex his hips.

She pulled him out and cocked her eyebrow at him. "Still, Mr. Grey."

He growled and shook his head, not happy that his own words were being thrown back at him, but amused.

She dipped her head back down, continuing on, slowly taking him deeper and deeper as she sucked.

"Shit Ana…that's fucking incredible. How far can you go, baby? Do you even have a gag reflex?" Christian wondered out loud.

Anastasia looked up at him through her eyelashes and her head sunk deeper, taking him in, her lips hitting his hilt. She sucked hard and he grabbed onto the sheets and groaned.

She continued working up and down, keeping her eyes on him, watching while his eyes kept rolling back into his head, his fists clenching the sheets.

"Shit, Ana! Fuck…if you don't want to swallow…" She hummed and sucked harder, and before he could finish his sentence, he came, groaning her name. She gave the tip one last kiss before sitting up and settling next to him while he recovered.

Anastasia opened her nightstand and pulled out a manila envelope. When she turned her head back towards him, he was smiling up at her.

"I take it, that you liked it?" Anastasia asked, giggling.

"That was the best wake-up call I've ever had. That was incredible. I hope it isn't a birthday exclusive." Christian mentioned, pulling the sheet over himself and turning towards her.

"A Christian exclusive, maybe…but not a birthday exclusive." Anastasia answered.

He smiled. "I am more than okay with that."

She handed him the manila envelope.

"What's this?"

"There isn't really anything you don't have…so I had to get creative. I hope you still want it." She explained.

He opened the manila envelope and pulled out a contract. "Your lease?"

She shook her head. "It's paperwork to break the lease."

His eyes widened and he sat up, pulling her against him, holding her tight. "You're moving in?"

She nodded against his shoulder. "If you still want me to."

"Of course I do! Oh, Anastasia…" He pulled back and kissed her hard. "Let me love you."

She nodded and pulled his face back to hers, kissing him deeply.

He threw the papers to her side of the bed and grabbed her, pulling her down onto his pillow and laying on top of her, keeping his weight off of her with his right forearm. His left slipped down her body, tracing the silhouette of her body with his index finger.

He leaned down and kissed her lips, pulling away before she could hold him there, and continued down her jaw and throat. He kissed across her clavicle, causing goosebumps to form as his tongue slipped out between his lips, sliding across her skin, before blowing lightly on her skin.

"I need this off." He said into her skin, pulling on her gray babydoll.

Once he had it off, he continued down, teasing and sucking her breasts, causing her to moan and press her chest further into him. When he had her panting, he continued down her abdomen, making her whimper.

"I don't want you to come until I'm inside you, baby." Christian mentioned as he kissed and nipped down her stomach. "I like these." He added, pulling on the waist of her low-rise thong. "I think they'd look better on the floor."

He sat up and pulled them down her legs. Once they were discarded, he kissed back up her legs and Anastasia felt like her whole body was on fire.

"Please, Christian…" She begged, picking her head up and staring at him.

"Patience, baby. I want to work you up. I want feel you come more than once."

She whimpered and let her head fall back onto her pillow. His lips were climbing up her thighs, getting closer and closer to her core and it clenched automatically, begging to be touched. She began to pant again.

"You smell phenomenal, baby. You're so ready." Christian said, and skipped over her center and kissed up to her stomach again, making her growl in frustration.

He sat up and kicked his pajama pants off the rest of the way and laid on top of her, kissing her. "Cradle me with your legs."

Anastasia's legs automatically bent, the inside of her thighs cradling his hips. She could feel her thighs shaking. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She was so worked up, she felt like she might explode just looking at him.

He kissed her again. "Good girl." His hips went back and he thrusted forward quickly, burying himself deep inside of her and pulling back quickly and doing it once more. The invisible rubberband snapped inside of Anastasia and her orgasm flooded through her, causing her to scream out.

"Name, Anastasia!" Christian demanded.

"Christian! Oh, Christian! Mmm…" Her toes curled into the bed as the orgasm continued to rock through her and she lifted her hips, lifting him with her. As the waves dissipated, she lowered them back to the bed and she opened her eyes to an amused Christian.

"You lifted me off the bed, Anastasia." He shook his head. "My little sex kitten." He leaned down and kissed her.

He climbed off of her. "Roll to your side."

She rolled onto her left side and he laid behind her, pulling her knee up against her abdomen before slamming into her.

"Christian! Oh, wow!" Her head fell back against his shoulder as he quickened his pace.

He kissed her shoulder. "I love this position. It feels so good, Anastasia."

Her walls started to flutter again, making him groan. "Let go, baby. I want to feel you. Squeeze tight, Ana."

She came again, doing as he asked and screamed louder when she felt the surge hit her harder as she clenched around him.

"Oh, Ana…feel it, baby. So good." He moaned and continued thrusting hard into her, throwing her straight into another orgasm, her thighs shaking uncontrollably.

"So...responsive...Ana...fuck!" He flexed his hips and released inside of her.

He released her leg, wrapping an arm around her, and they laid there, panting, for a long time.

"Charlie Tango is staring at us." Christian mentioned, staring up at the blue helicopter balloon.

Anastasia laughed. "Part of your last present."

"Another present Anastasia? You spoil me." Christian kissed her shoulder.

She snorted. "Right."

"What? So far, I've gotten a blowjob, a yes, birthday sex, and made it to double digits."

Anastasia groaned. He was still counting her orgasms.

"Are you ever going to stop counting?"

"Probably not."

She sighed and reached for his present, turning onto her back and handing it to him. "This is the last one. Happy birthday, baby." She leaned up and kissed him softly.

He gave her a boyish grin and sat up, untying the balloons from the package. He turned and tied them to the front drawer of his nightstand before ripping the paper off of it.

His eyes and grin widened when he saw the box. "An RC Charlie Tango?"

Anastasia nodded. "It's solar powered."

He pulled it out of the box and inspected it. "Fascinating…"

Anastasia watched him curiously. Christian Grey's inner nerd was shining through.

Christian jumped out of bed and set it on the dresser, where the sun was pouring in so he could charge it.

"Do you like it? Be honest." Ana asked, watching him in all his naked glory against the backdrop of the Seattle skyline.

"I love it!" He grinned, coming and sitting next to her.

"Good. You are one hard man to shop for. What do you get a gazillionaire?"

He snorted. "Well, you did a mighty fine job, Anastasia. After all this, you have me famished. Let's get a shower and head into the kitchen for breakfast."

"Together?" Anastasia asked.

Christian looked amused. "Yes, Anastasia. Together."

A grin slowly formed on her face. "Does that mean you'll scrub my back?"

He chuckled. "If you'll let me, I'll scrub everything."

She hopped up and stilled, realizing her thighs were still shaky from their romp.

Christian gave her a wicked grin and scooped her up, rubbing his stubble against her neck playfully. "Maybe a bath would be better."

"And a shave!" She added, laughing as she tried to hide her neck from him.

"You might need to shave too..." He mentioned, running a hand over her leg.

"Christian! RUDE!" Anastasia admonished as he set her down on the counter top and turned to fill the tub.

She watched him move around the bathroom with that boyish grin on his face and heart swelled. She was relieved that he was so happy on his birthday; the incident that happened Wednesday and the appointment with Flynn were forgotten for the time being.

XxXxXx

After breakfast, Christian disappeared into his office with Taylor and Anastasia set to work on his chocolate cake.

"Would you like some help, Ana?" Mrs. Jones asked

"No, thank you. I want to do this myself. I hope he enjoys chocolate."

Mrs. Jones smiled. "He'll love it. Did you get candles?"

Anastasia smiled and pulled them out of the bag. "A 2 and an 8. Is it too cheesy?"

Mrs. Jones grinned. "No...just cheesy enough."

Anastasia giggled and set out to make his cake.

Once it was done and cooled, Anastasia stuck the candles in it, lit them, and placed the tray with the cake, two plates, and silverware outside the office door for Christian and Taylor.

Christian had warned them not to barge in on he and Taylor, so she knocked on the door to the office and ran off before either could catch her.

She hurried back into the kitchen and began to clean up her mess. She had just finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and washing out the sink when she felt arms around her. She turned her head and saw Christian giving her a watery smile.

"Christian?" She asked, taken aback by his sudden burst of emotion.

"My sweet girl. No ones ever made me a cake before." Christian nuzzled her neck.

"It was just a cake, love. I didn't mean to make you cry."

He chuckled into her neck and sniffed. "I'm never letting you go, Ana. You really do love me, don't you?" Christian asked, looking back into her eyes.

She turned toward him and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Of course I do. You haven't been questioning it, have you?" She frowned.

He shrugged. "I just don't understand how you can love someone as fucked up as I am."

"Everyone has their issues, Christian. Don't let your issues define you. You are so much more than your past. I love you more than anything." She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Now go enjoy your cake with Taylor. He does a lot for you and deserves a treat."

Christian pulled her in for another kiss. "I'll go blow out my candles. I have my wish now. I'll be out soon."

Anastasia grinned. "Are you going to share your wish?"

"Can't. It won't come true."

"Oh, I forgot."

"Do you tell your wishes, Anastasia?" Christian asked, grinning.

She shrugged. "I don't make wishes."

"Why?"

'Mine never come true."

"Well, maybe that's because you told." Christian mentioned, grinning.

She laughed. "Maybe...now go enjoy your cake." She turned him around and smacked his bottom, forcing him to start walking.

"Ana!" Christian's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder.

"Only twenty-seven more!" Anastasia giggled.

XxXxXx

"What should I wear?" Anastasia called loudly, standing in their closet.

"Wear a sundress. I like easy access." Christian called back from the bathroom.

"And you say I'm insatiable!" Anastasia retorted. She could hear Christian's laugh from the bathroom and rolled her eyes.

She grabbed one of the larger bags and hurried into his drawers, pulling out a black pair of swim shorts and stuffed them into her bag. She closed the drawer and her eyes wandered to his t-shirt drawer. She knew he didn't like to be touched and maybe he'd feel better if he was t-shirt clad. She decided to grab a gray sleeveless shirt out of his drawer and slipped it into her bag, as well.

Christian popped his head in. "Anastasia?"

She jumped and turned around. "Yes?"

He grinned. "Just wanted to let you know I'll be in my office for a few minutes. I need to sign a few documents and fax them back to Ros."

Anastasia nodded. "No problem. That's the last of work you'll be doing for the rest of the day, Mr. Grey." She mentioned, cocking her eyebrow at him.

He saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!" He disappeared before she could even scowl at him.

Looking through her swimsuits, she picked her magenta Fuzzi two-piece lace overlay tankini. The top covered her enough, but still made her feel feminine and the bottoms covered both butt cheeks. She double checked and triple checked in the mirror so that Christian wouldn't have anything to complain about.

It took a few minutes, but she finally found an Eliza J that covered her tankini. It was also magenta and had a pintucked waist. The knit, fit and flare felt lovely against her skin. She grinned and slipped into some white sandals. She grabbed her bag and a pair of white sunglasses and headed out of the bedroom.

When she saw Taylor and Mrs. Jones standing in the main room, she stomped loudly towards them. Taylor turned and grinned at her.

"I hear you, Miss Steele. No awkward moments today, I'm afraid."

Anastasia laughed. "Good. Do you know if Mr. Grey is ready yet?"

"He said he had one more email to finish up." Taylor answered.

Anastasia nodded.

"Your cake was superb, Miss Steele." Taylor mentioned.

She giggled. "It was only a box cake, Taylor, but I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Taylor smiled at her fondly. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it.

"Is there something you'd like to say, Taylor? You can tell me." Anastasia urged.

He shook his head. "It was just very nice of you, Miss Steele."

She grinned. "While I have you on my good side, Taylor...would you mind helping me move this next week?"

Mrs. Jones gasped. "You're staying, Ana?" She asked, smiling.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes. I just told Mr. Grey this morning."

"That's wonderful! It'll be so nice having you here." Mrs. Jones squeezed Taylor's arm.

"Thank you, Gail." Anastasia grinned.

Mrs. Jones launched herself at Anastasia and squeezed her.

"Gail!" Taylor warned.

Anastasia hugged her back. "Stop, Taylor. It's absolutely fine. Gail is lovely."

Christian cleared his throat and Mrs. Jones jumped back, straightening herself. "Sorry, Mr. Grey."

"No, don't apologize, Gail." Anastasia told her. "You did nothing wrong." She eyed Christian and his eyes softened.

He nodded. "It's okay, Gail."

Anastasia grinned at Christian. "Are you ready, baby?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Christian tried to make it sound dreadful, but couldn't hide the smirk on his face.

Anastasia giggled. "Let's go then."

 **A/N: Next up is the family celebration. I was going to put it all together, but it got too long. We'll see how Christian takes what Mia has in store!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: A lot happens in this chapter...I hope you can keep up. :/ Too many ideas to fit into a half a day.**

"Christian! I have a surprise for you!" Mia squealed after lunch.

Christian cocked an eyebrow at his little sister.

"You remember what we use to do on our birthdays?" Mia asked.

Christian's eyes went wide. "Oh, no! No, Mia."

"But Christian! Come on! It'll be fun! I bought shaving cream and new water guns and everything!" Mia pouted.

"No, Mia!" Christian shook his head.

"Please?" Mia stuck her lip out.

"Even if I wanted to Mia, I don't have anything to wear."

Mia looked over to Anastasia and Anastasia bit her lip. Christian cocked an eyebrow at her and she reached into her bag and pulled out his black shorts. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked down at his chest and back to Anastasia. She smiled and pulled out his gray top. He smiled appreciatively at her.

"What if I don't want to?" Christian asked.

Anastasia shrugged and pulled her dress over her head, revealing her tankini. "We'll do it without you. You'll just be a fun sucker and have to watch from the sidelines."

"Come on, man! It's already five to three in the gender department...don't leave us by ourselves!" Elliot said, referring to his father and himself.

Christian turned back toward Anastasia. "And you were in on this?"

Anastasia gave him a shy grin and shrugged. "Consider this payback for having Mia sneak you into my house." She held out his clothes and he took them, grumbling.

"Mind if we have a word inside?" Christian asked Anastasia.

"Oh, no. I think I'll stay out here, thanks." Anastasia answered.

He sighed and shook his head, retreating into the house by himself.

"I can't believe he's actually going to do it..." Elliot mentioned.

"You guys act like Christian is incapable of having fun." Kate said.

"You have no idea, Kate. He was like a robot before." Elliot told her.

"Before?"

"Before Ana. He stayed in his own little world, before her. He never came around...never spoke...never really even laughed...and then he notices her, scoops her up right under my nose and now he's like a completely different person."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I don't think Christian would appreciate you talking about him."

"She's right Elliot. This is Christian's day. Let's try not to make him upset." Grace agreed.

XxXxXx

"You're going down, Steele."

Anastasia's eyes narrowed. "Bring it on, Grey." She held two balloons full of shaving cream in her left hand, a water gun in her right, and a can of shaving cream hooked to her bottoms.

The females stood ten feet away from the males in a line, waiting for the call to attack.

"On your mark!?" Carrick shouted, making them all put a foot in front of them, ready to pounce. "Get set...GO!"

Everyone ran forward, yelling.

Anastasia broke one of the balloons over Christian's head while he squirted shaving cream all over her hair. She saw his arms getting ready to grab her and she hooked her heel behind his knee and pushed his shoulders, making him fall on his butt. Christian looked shocked, making Anastasia giggle.

"Knew learning from my military father would come in handy some day." She heard Grace scream across the yard. "I'm coming!" Anastasia yelled, hurrying away, hopping over Christian's leg that came out to try and stop her.

"AH! YOU'RE MINE NOW!" Mia yelled at Christian while Anastasia ran for Grace and Carrick.

On her way, Anastasia saw Elliot and Kate on the ground, lip wrestling. "Get a room!" She called at them.

She pumped her gun and shot it at Carrick, who was holding Grace down while he rubbed shaving cream in her hair.

"YES! GET HIM ANA!" Grace called, pushing him off of her when he turned to look at Ana.

Anastasia grabbed a couple more shaving cream balloons out of the bucket and threw them at him as he started toward her. He suddenly stopped and grinned and Anastasia's smile dropped. She turned and found Christian standing behind her with a can of shaving cream and a super soaker.

"Tripping me, Anastasia?"

She laughed nervously and turned toward him with her hands out in front of her. "Now, baby...let's talk calmly about this..."

He shook his head. "Nah...I don't think so." He lunged at her and she screamed.

He tackled her to the ground and covered her in shaving cream before tickling her mercilessly.

"NO! Christian! Stop! This. This. Is. Not. Fair!" Anastasia yelled, between giggles. "Please! AH! Stop! Baby! Please! OKAY! UNCLE! YOU WIN!"

Christian grinned down at her and grabbed her, pulling her up with him and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Christian! Where are you taking me?! HELP!" Anastasia called out towards the others. She saw Mia laughing at them and heard Grace scream as Carrick scooped her up and ran toward them.

Anastasia looked over her shoulder and saw that Christian was heading toward the pool. "Christian!"

He laughed and smacked her butt lightly. "You're dirty, Anastasia. You need a bath."

He threw her and she screamed, before hitting the water of the heated pool. Before she could come up, she heard two more splashes. She emerged, seeing Carrick grinning from the side of the pool and Christian and Grace coming up for air.

Christian looked angry. "YOU WERE ON MY TEAM!" He yelled at Carrick.

Carrick laughed and shrugged. "All men for themselves!"

Christian leapt up and grabbed the front of Carrick's shirt, pulling him in, too.

Carrick came up and grabbed Christian around the neck, pulling him under.

Anastasia and Grace watched from the sidelines as the boys wrestled.

"I can't believe that Christian agreed to this." Grace told Anastasia.

"Me either." Anastasia admitted.

"You've been good for him."

Anastasia looked at Grace and shrugged. "I haven't really done anything."

"You've done _something_. Even if you don't realize it. I had accepted that he was always going to be the way he was. Always so alone, so closed off from the rest of the world...I can't tell you the last time I saw him smile before you caught his eye. The night you brought Mia in...he couldn't keep his eyes off the stairs after you two disappeared. Carrick and I watched him follow you around from the living room. I've never seen him do that. Usually, it's others chasing him. I could see his attraction to you then." Grace explained, smiling

Anastasia returned her smile. "I suppose."

"I've noticed the way you are around him, too. You use to be quieter yourself."

Anastasia blushed. "I didn't like dragging attention to myself."

Grace gave her a concerned look. "Mr. Steele and I spoke, Ana. He told me about your past."

Ana sighed. "He mentioned you had a long talk. I figured as much."

"Do you need to talk about it? I'm here, Ana..." Grace took Anastasia's hand and squeezed it.

"I appreciate that, but I'm actually seeing Dr. Flynn."

Grace smiled. "That's good to hear. I'm sure your father would like to know. He's worried about you alone up here."

"There is no need to be. I'm fine." Anastasia assured her.

"Do you love my son, Anastasia?" Grace asked, making Anastasia's eyes widen. Looking at his mother, Anastasia saw the momma bear coming out of her. She wondered if she had been talking to Elena.

"I do...more than anything. He's incredible." Anastasia grinned and looked back at the men who were now with Elliot, Kate and Mia. "I feel like my whole world would crumble without him." She looked back at Grace.

Grace smiled at her. "I'm glad to hear it, Ana. I worry about what would happen to him if you broke his heart."

Anastasia swallowed back tears. "I promise you, I won't. He's my world, Grace."

Grace pulled her in for a hug. Anastasia pulled away when she heard her sniffle. "Grace? Are you...crying?"

Grace gave a watery laugh. "I just never thought I'd see my baby boy this happy."

Anastasia smiled and pulled Grace back to her for another hug.

"Anastasia! Are you making my wife cry?"

The women turned to see the others behind them.

Anastasia smiled. "Evidently, I am."

Christian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Hello, baby."

She grinned. "Hello, yourself." She wrapped her arms and legs around him and let him carry them farther into the deep end.

"What did you and Mom talk about?"

"You."

His eyebrows knitted together.

"Don't worry. She just wanted to make sure I had honorable intentions." Anastasia smiled.

He pressed her up against the wall of the pool and held onto the side with his left hand, while his other hand gripped her bum. "I don't think you could call your intentions this morning honorable, Miss Steele." He whispered.

She gasped. "Christian!" She smacked him on his shoulder

He chuckled and pressed his forehead to hers, nuzzling their noses together. "Oh, how I would love to show you my dishonorable intentions right now." A finger slipped into her suit bottom and into her core, making her gasp. He slipped in another finger and pumped them in and out slowly.

"Oh my..." Anastasia bit her lip.

"Let me, baby." He captured her lip between his teeth, tugging on it gently. Her core clenched around his fingers and he pumped a little faster. She closed her eyes, trying not to let herself lose control. His family was on the other side of the pool, still.

"Don't fight it, Ana. You know it'll be harder to keep quiet if you do. Let go, baby." He whispered.

Her whole body shivered and she felt herself falling over the edge. Christian pressed her face into his neck, muffling her whimpers as she came.

Once she relaxed, he slowly slipped his fingers out of her bikini bottoms and let them rest on her hip. She opened her eyes and he kissed her softly.

"I can't believe you just did that right in front of them!" Anastasia whispered, making him grin.

"You'd be surprised by what I can do in plain sight. You just wait, Anastasia."

Anastasia blushed, making him chuckle. He leaned down and kissed her, slipping his tongue into her mouth, making her groan and pull on his hair.

"Get a room!" Elliot called from the other end of the pool.

Christian turned his head and smiled at the others, while Anastasia hid her embarrassment in the crook of his neck.

"Nothing wrong with a little PDA Lelliot. Perhaps we should find a nice patch of grass like you and Kate did earlier..." Christian answered, as he turned around and brought him and Anastasia back to the others.

Elliot looked shocked by Christian's words, but the others laughed.

"There you are! I wondered where you all were!"

"Elena! What a surprise!" Grace grinned up at her friend.

Anastasia's eyes went wide and she felt Christian tense.

"I swear I told my mother I didn't want her here." He whispered into her ear.

"Your mom needs to know." Anastasia told him.

He shook his head. "Please, not today. I can't tell her."

Anastasia swallowed back tears, refusing to look up from his chest.

"Please, Ana...I'm sorry."

She shook her head, trying to get him to stop talking. If he didn't, she might lose it right there.

"You aren't going to leave, are you?" He asked, suddenly panicked.

"No, no. Don't be silly. Do you think I'd let _her_ ruin our day? _Your_ day?" Anastasia whispered, before leaning in and kissing him.

He smiled. "I love you, Ana."

Everyone went quiet and Anastasia's mouth dropped open. Her heart felt like it was going to burst.

Christian's smile widened. "Breathe, Anastasia." He cupped her face, and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

She took in a deep breath. "You...you.."

He nodded. "I love you."

She exhaled sharply and tears started pouring down her face. "I love you, too."

He wiped her tears off with his thumbs and pulled her face to his, kissing her deeply.

Cheers and catcalls could be heard from his family, and they broke apart, laughing.

XxXxXx

Anastasia came down to the kitchen after she finished getting cleaned up and throwing her hair up into a bun. When she entered, she heard Christian and Grace having a discussion.

"I told you I didn't want her coming!"

"I didn't ask her! She knows we have this every year! She just showed up, Christian! I can't kick her out!"

"I don't want her here!"

"Why, Christian? What happened?"

Christian sighed. "Nothing...She's just rude to Anastasia is all."

Anastasia decided to make her presence known and knocked on the doorframe. They both turned toward her. "Am I interrupting something?"

Grace shook her head. "No, darling. Just talking."

Anastasia looked at Christian and he sighed. "Ana and I are going to take a nap on the couch in the family room. Wake us up when dinner is ready. Make sure _no one else_ tries to bother us." He told his mother, hinting that he didn't want to see Elena.

"Of course, dear. I'll wake you in a couple hours." Grace looked annoyed, but covered it well with a fake smile.

Anastasia tried to give her an encouraging smile while Christian pulled her into the other room.

"Lie down and lay on your side."

She did as she was told, pressing her back against the back of the couch.

Christian took a throw pillow and laid down on his back.

"Okay, baby. Come here. Lay your head on my chest."

Her eyes widened and she looked down at him.

"Do as I say, baby. Lean against me. I want to hold you. Try not to move your head once you've settled."

She nodded and slid down, leaning her body on his, her leg over his and her feet tangled between his. Once she had the rest of her body situated, she lowered her head and placed it on his chest.

Christian took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her.

"Everything okay, Mr. Grey?"

"Perfect, Miss Steele."

She closed her eyes and grinned. "Oh, Christian...I can hear your heartbeat." She willed herself not to cry. She'd been battling tears all day. "I think June 18th is my favorite day."

He chuckled. "Why is that, baby?"

"It was the day you came into the world, the day you said I love you, and the first time I got to listen to your heartbeat." Anastasia sighed, content. "I could fall asleep like this every night."

"You said yes, Anastasia. You can." He ducked down and kissed the top of her head.

She grinned at the thought. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Ana."

Her toes curled as he said it. Every time it came out of his mouth she felt like her chest was going to burst. She wondered if it would always be that way.

XxXxXx

Anastasia awoke, feeling Christian play with the third finger of her left hand where her knuckle meets her finger. She noticed her hand was now on his chest next to her face. She also noticed that his other hand had snaked its way down to her ass and was now gripping her left butt cheek.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Just playing with your fingers, Anastasia. You have beautiful fingers."

Anastasia giggled at this. How could fingers be beautiful?

"I was actually referring to the hand that is on my ass, Mr. Grey."

He squeezed her cheek. "You also have a beautiful derriere."

She rolled her eyes. "What time is it?"

"About 5:30. Dinner is in thirty minutes."

She groaned. "I don't want to get up."

"Tired?"

"Not really. Just like being curled up like this." Anastasia played with his belt.

"We will again, later."

She sighed. "Fine." She pushed herself up and off the couch, patting the flyaways down on her head.

Anastasia held out her hand and Christian sat up and grabbed it. He yanked on it, causing her to be pulled forward and he grabbed her, flipping them over.

She giggled as he snuck his hand under her dress and squeezed her thigh. "Fresh!"

He wiggled his eyebrows. "You're mine. I'm allowed to be fresh." His hand rose up under her fit and flare and tickled her ribs lightly, causing her to squeal.

He chuckled and kissed her.

XxXxXx

Anastasia and Christian made their way into the dining room for dinner.

They were stopped in their tracks by none other, than the pedo, herself.

"Christian! There you are! Happy birthday!" Elena greeted, smiling at him.

Elena raised her arm to touch him and Anastasia saw him flinch out of the corner of her eye.

Anastasia grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Do. Not. Touch. Him." Ana warned, gritting her teeth.

Elena gasped, pulling her arm away from Anastasia. "How dare you! You don't own him, you little bitch!"

"Hey now!" Christian said, scowling at Elena.

"You call me whatever you have to Elena, but he is more mine than he will ever be yours."

She snorted. "Please."

"You might have his innocence, but I have his love. Something you will _never_ have, no matter how much you want it. If I were you Elena, I wouldn't be proud that I took advantage of a fifteen year old boy. You are nothing, but a pedophile. You deserve to rot in hell for the things you've done to him." Anastasia growled out to Elena.

Elena picked up her hand to smack Anastasia. Grabbing her wrist as it connected to her face, Anastasia scowled at her and flipped her arm around, causing Elena to turn away from her and Anastasia held the twisted arm against Elena's back. "Try it." Anastasia warned. "I _will_ win." She said quietly. "I'll never stop fighting for Christian."

"Ana...easy..." Christian coaxed, placing his hand on top of hers. "She isn't worth it."

Anastasia looked up at Christian. "Please, just let her go." She sighed and let Elena go.

Elena turned quickly and Christian stepped between them.

"I did you a favor, Elena. Now get out. I will be liquidating your company on Monday."

"But Christian! She can't make you happy! You know what you are! She isn't willing to give you what you want! I can give you everything, Christian! You loved that lifestyle! You used to beg for more, remember? You need me. You've always needed me." Elena tried taking his hand and he stepped back.

"I was fifteen, Elena. I didn't know any better. I don't need it...I don't need you. I need Ana...only Ana."

"FIFTEEN?" Grace's voice rang out, making all three of them jump. "You're saying...? At fifteen?" She asked, looking at Christian. His face told her all she needed to know.

She rounded on Elena. "You Bitch! I trusted you!" Grace slapped Elena across the face and grabbed the back of her hair. "You're lucky I don't kill you. Get out of my house!" Grace dragged Elena to the door by her hair, cursing at her in French the whole way, and slammed the door behind her.

"CHRISTIAN! FAMILY ROOM! NOW!" Grace shouted.

He turned toward Anastasia and cupped her face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Go! Don't make her more angry!" Anastasia pushed him towards the room Grace just disappeared into.

Anastasia took a deep cleansing breath and collapsed into the nearest chair.

"Holy shit." Elliot mumbled, plopping down on the floor next to her feet.

"You aren't kidding." Kate mentioned, collapsing in the chair across from Anastasia.

"You two heard?" Anastasia winced. "Did Carrick and Mia?"

Elliot shook his head. "They're outside."

"Ray taught you well, Ana." Kate said, giggling.

Anastasia couldn't help, but do the same. She felt relieved that it was over. She knew Christian didn't want it out, but it needed to be. Dr. Flynn would have a hayday with this.

XxXxXx

Thirty minutes later, they all sat around the dining room table picking at their salads.

"Why is everyone so quiet? Where's Elena?" Carrick asked.

Anastasia, Christian, Elliot, and Kate all stared down at their bowls.

"Elena and I had a little spat. I'll tell you later, dear." Grace told him.

Mia smiled. "Well, if no one else is going to talk...I'm going to make my announcement!" She was practically hopping in her seat. Their eyes focused on Mia, happy to have some sort of distraction.

"I've been accepted to a fashion school in New York! I'm leaving at the beginning of August!" Mia squealed.

The table erupted in cheers.

"Oh, Mia! That's just wonderful!" Anastasia smiled, and hurried around the table to hug her. Mia had started in culinary school, before realizing it wasn't for her and had been applying to different fashion programs for the past six months.

Leave it to Mia to lighten things up...along with a few bottles of wine. Soon, everyone was talking and laughing, enjoying their dinner together.

"Okay! Before we move on to dessert, Christian is going to open his presents..." Grace announced, handing him her card. Mia and Elliot followed her lead and handed Christian a card, too. Anastasia raised an eyebrow. Didn't these people give gifts?

Turns out they all got him a card, because everything they got him was too big to wrap. Anastasia couldn't help, but feel a little discouraged and embarrassed by what she thought was a great gift for him. His parents got him new rims for one of his many cars, Elliot and Kate got him a new part he needed for Charlie Tango, and Mia bought him a new living room set for his apartment in New York.

"Okay! You know the drill!" Grace called. Everyone stood, but Christian and Anastasia followed their lead. They all pulled out their cameras and cell phones as the room darkened. Gretchen entered with a cake...not just any cake, but a _three-layer_ cake with sparklers coming out of the top. Everyone started singing, and Anastasia joined them, even though she started to feel queasy. When they finished, they all started snapping pictures and crowding around him while he sat there with a megawatt smile on his face.

Anastasia watched from the sidelines as he as his family interacted. She started to feel foolish. How could she ever fit in with his family? They bought him these extravagant gifts and this large, beautiful cake with fireworks coming out of it and all she bought was an RC airplane and a home made chocolate cake that she made in a glass pie pan. She didn't belong in this world and tonight reminded her of that. Her insecurity and doubt started eating at her and she knew her time was limited. Her present was nothing, but an embarrassment.

"Anastasia? Are you alright?" Christian asked, from his seat at the table.

She swallowed hard and nodded, pasting a smile on her face. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry...got lost in my head for a moment."

Christian smiled. "Come sit. Have some cake."

She pushed her thoughts to the back of her head for the time being and told herself to concentrate on her time with Christian.

XxXxXx

"We're heading out, Mom. Thank you for everything."

Grace turned toward Christian and Ana and grinned. "Oh, it was nothing, darling. I'm sorry it didn't turn out like you imagined it would, but everything turned out okay in the end. I'm sorry I didn't protect you, Christian." Grace looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Oh, Mom. Don't blame yourself." Christian pulled her into a hug, surprising her. "I don't blame you... I love you." He kissed her forehead.

"Oh, my darling boy! I love you, too!" Grace squeezed him around the waist. "You're making your old mom misty eyed." She added, laughing.

Christian pulled away and she reached up and patted his cheek. "My baby."

"Okay, Grace, you've coddled him enough!" Carrick mentioned, making her take a step back.

After saying their goodbyes, the finally headed out, to where Taylor was waiting in the SUV.

"How do you feel?" Anastasia asked.

Christian let out a long sigh. "Free."

She smiled. "Good."

"Is this how you felt when your parents found out?"

Anastasia swallowed, her smile falling. "Let's not talk about that now."

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

"I know. It's okay. I just want to take a nice, relaxing, hot bath and fall into bed. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." Anastasia giggled.

"Would you mind company?" Christian asked, grinning.

"As long as it stays relaxing, Mr. Grey. No funny business!" Anastasia warned, wagging her finger at him.

"You won't see any funny business here, Ana! Not after what you did to me earlier and what I saw you do to Elena." Christian said, making Anastasia laugh.

"I told you I can be tough."

"I thought you were going to break her arm..."

"Just her thumb. Ray taught me how. It all depended on what she was going to try next. You're mine, Christian and she hurt you. I don't take kindly to that."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I had a request to show more of Jose and Ana's history, so you'll start seeing it randomly throughout the next few chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I wish I owned Christian. Yummy. Or Jamie Dornan for that matter. :)**

 **UPDATE: This chapter disappeared, so I had to repost it. Sorry if you are getting an alert stating I posted a new chapter! :( The next one will be up within the next day. Just have to decide if I like it enough and edit it.**

"Anastasia…so nice to see you. Please…have a seat." Dr. Flynn greeted.

"Thank you." Anastasia sat down on the couch with a sigh. She had just gotten off from work, playing catch up all day while the other employees kept looking at her like she might break. Word of what happened last Sunday got around and it was so quiet you could hear crickets in the office. If it wasn't for Olivia, who was treating her normal, she might have gone bat shit crazy that day.

It didn't help that she and Christian were a bit off since Sunday morning. Her insecurities were eating at her and they were becoming harder to ignore. Christian could tell something was up, and when she refused to tell him, he put his mask up.

"You look troubled, Anastasia." Dr. Flynn mentioned, as he took his seat.

"It's been a long weekend." Anastasia shrugged.

"Is Christian pushing you?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No, no. He hasn't even asked about it, really. It's just…" She sighed and looked down at her fingers.

"Just what?" Dr. Flynn encouraged.

"I can't help, but feel that my time with Christian is limited and I don't know how much longer I have and I don't know what I'm going to do after it happens. I'm scared…and can't keep my mind off of it and it's starting to affect our relationship." Anastasia said quickly.

"Limited how? Is something wrong?"

Anastasia shook her head. "I just don't belong in his world…he's going to realize that and get bored like he did with the others. Now that he knows he can have semi-vanilla, he'll find someone who will fit better."

"I see. Where is this coming from Anastasia?"

Anastasia chewed her lip, but Dr. Flynn waited patiently.

"I always had that worry…but I was always able to push the idea to the back of my head and concentrate on my time with him…but since his birthday, it's all I can think about." Anastasia swallowed back her tears.

"Tell me what happened."

"On Saturday morning I gave him my present. It was a solar powered helicopter that looked like his. I also got him a helicopter balloon to match. He acted like a little boy as he inspected it…" Anastasia smiled at the memory. "He seemed so excited. Then I made him a cake and surprised him. He even got a little teary eyed and said that no ones made him a cake before…"

Dr. Flynn smiled. "Sounds like he really enjoyed it."

Anastasia shrugged. "I was feeling really good about it. Christian was in a great mood and even played in a shaving cream and water gun fight."

"Wow." Flynn muttered.

Anastasia nodded. "He was just so lovely…I felt myself falling even more in love with him. He even told me he loved me…let me lay against his chest…"

Flynn looked surprised.

"He let you touch him?" Flynn asked.

She nodded.

"Anastasia…it sounds as if he's completely head over heels for you. What has you questioning it?"

Anastasia sighed. "After dinner, his family gave him all these extravagant gifts…and then they brought out this big three-tiered cake with sparklers on the top and I was watching his family with Christian and he had this huge smile on his face and I realized I don't belong. They bought him these big gifts and this beautiful cake…and all I got him was an RC helicopter and a box cake in a glass dish with a 2 and an 8 on it. I felt foolish… embarrassed." Anastasia shook her head. "I'm so stupid to think that what I got him was good enough. I'm ashamed that I ever did."

Dr. Flynn cocked his head to the side and frowned. "Anastasia…it sounds like your insecurities are getting the best of you. From what you've told me, Christian absolutely loved your presents. He doesn't care about how extravagant they are. The only thing getting in your way, is you. Christian loves you. He even told you himself. I don't know if you realize just how big a step that is. He wouldn't use those words if he was going to leave you. The last time he said those words, the person left him. She left him all alone…cold and hungry. She told him she loved him back and then left him. There would be no way in hell he'd allow himself to do the same."

Anastasia nodded. "I suppose so."

"Can you imagine how he must feel, finally saying the words after twenty-four years and then having to deal with the fact that you emotionally shut yourself off from him not even a twenty-four hours later?" Dr. Flynn added.

Anastasia's stomach dropped. She hadn't even thought of that.

"Christian loved everything you did. He called me earlier today and we spoke. You've got nothing to worry about. You're insecurities are just that…no more. I think it would benefit the both of you if you told him what was going through your mind. We can work on your insecurity, but I think it stems from your childhood. We'll work on that a little bit at a time."

Anastasia nodded.

"We've still got a half-hour left, Anastasia. Why don't you tell me a little about your mother and birth father's relationship before you were born?"

XxXxXx

Anastasia knocked on the door to Christian's office and poked her head in. "Can we talk?"

His eyebrows knitted together, but he nodded.

She smiled and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She went around to his side of the desk and he swiveled his seat toward her. She slipped into his lap, her arm around the back of his neck and her back against his side and the armrest.

"I spoke to Flynn about what's been bothering me and he mentioned that I should explain to you why I've been distant." Anastasia explained.

Christian frowned and looked down at her lap. She took the hand that she wasn't leaning against and squeezed it.

"I was feeling insecure about myself after your birthday. I felt like I didn't belong. Your family bought you all these extravagant gifts and this huge cake and then comparing it to my present and my cake…well…it just didn't compare. I was embarrassed that I gave them to you.

"Flynn reminded me that it was my own insecurities that were driving me to pull away. That it had nothing to do with you and that you loved everything that I did. I was just scared that you'd realize that I didn't fit in and then decide to throw me away. I was up all night Saturday worrying about it…and then I couldn't turn it off enough to enjoy our time together." Anastasia bit her lip and sighed.

"Anastasia…I don't care about how expensive the gifts are or how pretty the cake is. Your present and your cake mean more to me than all the others. You put real effort into getting me something special. Mom and Dad…they got me the rims because Dad accidentally scratched mine when he drove it. Elliot asked what I wanted and Mia got me furniture for my New York apartment because she'll be staying there and she doesn't like the furniture that's there now.

"Your present shows that you listened to what interests me. You know I'm passionate about finding alternate energy sources and you know how much I love flying. I love your present so much that it's front and center on my desk at Grey House."

Anastasia grinned. "Really?"

"Yes, really! Look…" He pulled out his phone and she watched as he unlocked it to show her the picture he took. Her eye caught his background picture as he selected his gallery and she gasped.

"Is that my cake?"

He grinned. "Oh yea." He hit the back button and the background appeared again. "See. That's how much it means to me. I'd rather have this homemade chocolate cake in a pie pan than that big gawdy thing my parents bought, any day of the week."

Anastasia giggled. "I'm sorry I overreacted. Flynn and I are going to work on my insecurities as we go."

Christian kissed her temple. "It's okay. I just need you to tell me what is going on. We need to learn to communicate better."

She nodded. "Agreed." She smiled at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I'm going to kiss you now, Mr. Grey."

His eyes darkened. "What took you so long?"

XxXxXx

Christian's hand slipped behind Anastasia's back while they relaxed in the hot tub later that night, tugging on the tie of the bikini, causing the top to hang down.

"Baby!" She gasped, amused.

He tugged on the tie that was around her neck and it fell to the water. "Oops."

She turned and straddled his lap. "You could have asked." Anastasia grinned.

"But they're mine." Christian said, lifting his hands and kneading her breasts.

She hummed. "Yes, they are."

Anastasia closed her eyes and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, arching her back and pushing herself into his hands.

"Take your bottoms off baby. I want my girl naked in my hot tub while my hands are on what's mine."

"That's a lot of my, Christian." Anastasia giggled.

"I'm a selfish man, Anastasia."

Anastasia shook her head and tried to concentrate. Her eyes kept rolling back in her head while he played with her breasts. "No, Christian. You are very giving." He tugged on her nipples, proving her point and making her moan.

She reached down and pulled on each of the ties before taking the small scrap of white and placing it along the wall of the hot tub.

"Mmm…good girl." He leaned down and sucked on the pulse point of her neck while he continued to palm her breasts.

"Oh, Christian…" Anastasia ground her hips against his hard-on in his shorts.

His right hand slipped down the front of her body and in between her legs, slipping two fingers into her core. He turned them so that the pads of his fingers pressed against her back vaginal wall. He grinned against her neck when he heard her gasp and he started pumping his fingers, pressing hard against her back wall.

"Christian…wow…it almost feels like your fucking me." Anastasia started to move her hips against his fingers.

"Feel good, baby?" Christian whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.

"Oh, yes! Oh, Christian… please… mmm…. faster!" Her pace quickened and he matched it. He let his other hand travel down and rest against her moving hips while he watched the water around her breasts start to wave, her breasts bouncing freely as she moaned.

"God, Ana. You're so sexy." He flipped his fingers around and pressed hard against her g-spot, his thumb doing the same to her clit and he felt her walls flutter once before she stiffened, crying out his name. Her body fell forward and her head rested against his shoulder while she recovered.

Christian flexed his hips just enough to slide his shorts down, grasping her hips and lowering them down onto him.

She sighed. "Oh, Christian. Nothing compares to this." She sat up and sank down further.

He groaned. "You're so tight, baby. You feel so good…Like you were made for me."

She pressed her forehead against his. "I was, Christian. Just for you. God, I love you."

"Oh, Ana. I love you, too, baby." He kissed her softly.

They moved together slowly, clinging to one another.

"Up for something new?" Christian asked, kissing her shoulder.

"Anything." Anastasia answered, continuing to ride him.

He kissed her lips. "Stand up and turn away from me."

She did as she was told, excited to see what they'd do now. His hands went to her hips and pulled her backward, onto his lap. He guided his dick to her core and she lowered herself onto him.

He moaned. "Good girl. Lean forward and circle your hips. Don't raise them."

"Oh!" Anastasia cried out as she did.

"Yes, baby. Keep going. Do not raise them." Christian warned.

She continued and he slowly flexed his hips, pushing a bit deeper as she grinded. "Please, Christian! I need to move! I need you deeper."

"No, Ana. I want you to ache. Feel it build, baby. It's only going to get more intense as I move you back."

She whimpered, and quickened her circles. He grabbed her hips, forcing her to slow down. "Please, Ana…feel it. It's going to be so good when you come. For me too."

Hearing the last part, she took a deep breath and forced herself to slow. "Oh yes, good girl. I feel the ache too, baby. You aren't alone."

As she continued to grind, he slowly leaned her body back until her back was pressed against him. The feeling in her core was so intense and so frustrating, that she was panting. If he'd just thrust, she could come. She whimpered.

"Shh…it's okay...you can take it, baby." Christian was starting to pant, too. "We're close, Ana. I'm going to ask you to place your feet on the seat, on each side of my legs. I'll keep the pace, baby and I'll help you."

He started moving his hips and took over while her shaky legs raised. He grabbed her shins and pulled them back so her feet rested against the seat and she cried out.

"So intense, baby…fuck." He growled in her ear. "Try to move with me."

She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, before moving her hips.

"Fuck! Ana! Rub your clit." He hissed through clenched jaws.

"Wha…what?" Ana couldn't concentrate.

"Like this!" He grabbed her hand and showed her. "Keep going. I need you to come."

He released her hand and grabbed her hips, his head falling back against the hot tub with his eyes squeezed shut.

Anastasia's moans got louder as she fingered herself.

"Faster, baby. Move those fingers." Christian was panting, trying to hold on even though his balls were contracted as tight as they'd go. "Please! Come!"

Anastasia rubbed faster and he felt her walls start to flutter. "Yes, Ana! Fuck yes!" He flexed into her as he exploded. Two seconds later, Anastasia screamed out and tried to straighten her legs, but he grabbed her shins.

"NO!" He growled through his teeth while he came.

Anastasia's whole body was shaking and she wondered if the waves would ever stop. She became lightheaded and the pressure against her ears caused her hearing to fade out.

After what felt like an eternity, her body slumped against his and he relaxed his grip on her legs. "That was fucking phenomenal." Anastasia gasped, trying to drag air through her burning lungs.

"No kidding. I came so hard, I thought my cum would shoot out your mouth." He answered, panting.

She giggled against him, too tired to even open her eyes.

He squeezed her hip. "Thank you for sticking with me. I know it's intense."

Anastasia hummed in response.

"Tired?"

She hummed again, making him grin.

"We'll have to work on you pleasuring yourself. I don't want you doing it alone…only with me. But I'm going to love watching you play." He nuzzled into her neck.

Anastasia was too tired and too relaxed to blush at the comment. "How do we get out?" She asked, laughing.

He smirked. "Give me another five minutes and I'll pull both of us out."

Anastasia knew she could get out on her own by then, but what was the fun in that? She'd rather be carried off to the bedroom by her strong man than have to walk.

XxXxXx

Anastasia was almost asleep when Christian suddenly moved, picking her up with him. "Can I set you down for just a minute?"

She nodded against his shoulder and straightened up as he released her. He threw her towel over her naked body and slipped out of his own shorts, hanging them over the side of the hot tub, before wrapping a towel around his hips.

Anastasia watched and licked her lips. "You look mighty fine, Mr. Grey."

He chuckled and picked her up. "Ready again, so soon?"

She shook her head. "Just enjoying the view, love."

He carried her into the bedroom and tugged on her towel, letting it fall to the floor before he deposited her into the bed. She stretched and snuggled into her side of the bed as he covered her up, making him smile. "I like that you are so comfortable in my bed."

"Nuh uh uh, Mr. Grey. It's our bed now." Anastasia reminded him.

His smile widened. "Our bed. Yes, Miss Steele. You are quite right." He answered, drying himself with his towel before climbing in and pulling her to him. "Ready to start packing?"

"I'm dreading it. I hate moving." Anastasia admitted.

"I could hire someone." Christian told her.

"No, that's okay. I'd rather go through my own things. Are Elliot and Mia still coming?" She asked, turning to face him.

"As far as I know. I hope Elliot keeps his mitts to himself if Kate can't be there." Christian said, frowning.

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Elliot adores Kate. He would never do that to her. He isn't stupid enough to do that to her. She'll be there if she can. If not, we'll do fine without her. I spoke with Jose and he said he couldn't make it until the weekend. He said he'll help move furniture."

Christian scowled. "We'll be fine without him."

She sighed. "Don't act like that, Christian. He's been my best friend since we were in diapers. You'll have to get use to it."

"He wants you, Ana."

"We're just friends, Christian."

"I don't like the way he looks at you."

"You don't like the way any male looks at me."

"That's because you're a beautiful woman, Anastasia. You give off this air of innocence and it goes straight to the groin. It's intoxicating."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Well, Mr. Grey, I believe you are well aware that my innocence is no longer up for grabs."

He grinned. "Yes, Ana. Mine. But, you still have this sweet, innocent demeanor about you. It's like they can smell it."

She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, Christian! I am yours. Only yours. You have nothing to worry about. Even if Jose did like me in that way, he wouldn't risk our friendship to make a move. Been there, done that, got a t-shirt, and came out better friends."

His eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

Anastasia sighed. "It was a long time ago, Christian. We had a relationship...well kind of, and it didn't work and so we moved on."

"Kind of?"

"Well...we were fifteen, so we couldn't drive. We mostly hung out in his basement watching movies and making out." Anastasia admitted, laughing.

Christian's face turned red. "You kissed him?!"

"Are you serious? You're mad at something I did seven years ago?" Anastasia scowled.

"Yes! Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't occur to me that I needed to tell you about my past relationships!"

"Has he seen you naked?"

"Christian!"

"Answer me."

"You're seriously going to ask me this when you've had fifteen women?" Anastasia spouted, her jaw clenched.

"So a yes, then?" Christian's lips were pressed into a thin line and his eyes flashed angrily.

Anastasia sighed. "Yes! Okay?! He took my shirt off a few times when we were messing around!" She smacked her side in frustration.

Christian turned on his back and placed his forearm over his eyes. "So, not only did he see you, but he touched you."

"You are such a hypocrite!"

"I'm not best friends with my ex, Ana!"

"That isn't fair! I've known him my whole life! I'm not going to throw away that friendship just because we had a relationship for six months when we were fifteen!" Anastasia was so frustrated, she just wanted to cry. She wished she had never mentioned it.

"Did he make you come?"

"I never let him touch me below the waist."

He turned and looked at her. "We both know you don't need to be touched below the waist to come."

Anastasia sighed. "I didn't lie to you when I told you I've never had one, Christian."

Christian searched her face for a moment, before sighing and pulling her closer. "You're mine, Ana."

"Yes. You have nothing to worry about."

"It bothers me that he knows what you look like. Knows how your skin feels."

"And he also knows he'll never get to see or touch me again. I doubt he even thinks about that, Christian. It was a long time ago and we've moved on. Please don't get hung up on this. I love _you_." Anastasia cupped his face and kissed his lips.

He gave her a small smile. "I love you, too. I'm sorry I overreacted. I don't like to share."

She laughed. "I am well aware."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Drama.**

"Where is Elliot? He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!" Christian complained, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Mia, Anastasia, and Taylor stood watching Christian throw a fit.

"Christian! It's not that big of deal. What's wrong?" Anastasia asked.

"I just want to get this over with." Christian ran a hand through his hair.

"If you don't want to help, that's fine Christian. I understand." Anastasia told him.

It was Wednesday evening and Mia, Elliot, Kate, Christian, Ana, and Taylor made plans to go over to her house and start packing up her things. She had until the beginning of July to pack.

"It's not that Ana. I just want you moved."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm not going to change my mind."

Christian searched her eyes for a moment before pulling her against him.

The elevator gave a ding and Elliot and Kate stepped into the foyer, where the others were waiting.

"About fucking time! Let's go!" Christian called, pulling Anastasia into the elevator by her hand.

XxXxXx

"Ah…home." Anastasia grinned, staring at the front of the house. It was the first place she lived on her own and she was going to miss it.

Christian frowned. "It's just a house Anastasia. Your home is Escala."

"I know…it's just special. My first place. The last place I lived by myself…hopefully, anyway." Anastasia added, smiling up at Christian. She saw a grin tug at his lips.

"Okay. I'll let you have your moment." The six of them stared for another moment.

Anastasia sighed. "Okay. I'm done." She headed toward the door and everyone followed. She slipped her key into the lock and grinned, happy to be back. She opened the door and started to walk forward.

Christian grabbed her and pulled her back at the same time her eyes took in her living room. The living room had been destroyed. Glass was all over the floor, the coffee table was flipped over and broken, the couch torn and the stuffing was showing.

"There might still be someone…" Christian whispered once she was pulled against him.

Taylor immediately entered with Elliot behind him. Kate started in and Christian grabbed her arm.

"Are you crazy? Stay here! I'm going in." Christian told the girls.

Anastasia clung to him. "No! Stay here! I don't want to be separated when we don't know what's going on."

"Ana…I'll be fine." Christian tried to peel her off.

"But what if they come out and you aren't here?" Anastasia asked, giving any excuse she could.

Christian sighed. "Okay. I'll stay." He pulled her against him and kept an eye inside the living room.

Mia stepped closer to Christian and he reached down and took her hand. "We'll be fine, Mi. I won't let anything happen to you." He mentioned squeezing her hand, refusing to look away from the door.

Eventually, the two men came back out. "No one here. I think you should see the garage, Mr. Grey." Taylor said, looking worried.

Christian furrowed his brow in confusion, but nodded. He and Anastasia made their way to the garage with the others behind them.

Anastasia gasped. "MY CAR!" Her 2010 black Toyota Camry was covered in red paint, all four windows and lights were busted out. "Shit." She covered her face with her hands and whimpered. "I'm still paying on this sucker!"

"Mr. Grey…the back…" Taylor mentioned.

They moved to the back and on the trunk in the red paint, someone used their finger to write 'LW'.

Christian's eyes widened.

"LW?" Anastasia asked.

"Taylor…you don't think…?" Christian asked.

"Her boyfriend did just pass last week, sir." Taylor answered, reminding Christian.

"Fuck." Christian let out, frustrated.

"Christian! What is he talking about?" Anastasia was starting to get annoyed with the secrecy.

Christian sighed. "Leila Williams…she was…an ex." He explained.

Anastasia's jaw set. "I see."

"Her boyfriend died in a car accident last week and she called me." Christian added.

Anastasia's stomach dropped. "Uh huh. Go on…" Her arms crossed.

"I just listened on the phone and tried to console her. I couldn't ignore her like that. I had Taylor send flowers for his funeral. She texted me on my birthday asking to talk, so I did…and it turns out all she wanted was to start up our…relationship again. I told her absolutely not. I told her I was in love with you." Christian explained.

Anastasia felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. "So, when you said you had some papers to fax…"

Christian frowned. "I called Leila."

Tears started running down Anastasia's cheeks. "So you lied." She turned on her heel and pushed past the others, who stood there, shocked and frozen in place.

"Anastasia! Wait!" Christian ran after her. "Just listen to me!"

"Why? Why should I? How can I ever trust you again? How could you stand there and say that you loved me that day when you were keeping this from me?" Anastasia asked, holding back sobs as she bent down to pick up her broken pictures on the floor as something to do.

"I really did have papers to fax! I didn't want you to be upset! It was nothing…"

" It was nothing? Really? LOOK AT MY HOUSE CHRISTIAN! I have nothing! No car! No furniture! No safe place to stay! You went behind my back and talked to your ex who still has feelings for you and lied about it!" Anastasia felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest.

"You don't have to worry about any of it, Ana. I'll take care of it. You have a safe place with me." Christian tried to step closer, but she took a step back.

"You don't feel safe anymore Christian. I can't trust you. I can't live, everyday wondering who you're speaking to behind my back." Anastasia was completely heartbroken. "How could you do this to me? If I wasn't enough…"

"Stop! You are enough! You're more than enough! I couldn't just ignore her! She was having a hard time. She loved him. They were going to get married, for Christ's sake! I thought she was just going to thank me for the flowers. I didn't know what she had in mind. I told her never to call me again." Christian explained, half panicked.

"You still didn't tell me. If you would have just explained yourself, I would have understood. But you kept it from me. You didn't do it for my benefit, but for yours. You didn't want to have to deal with me if I got angry. How can I trust you?"

"I fucked up Ana! I'm sorry! I'm not use to having a girlfriend to answer to. It was innocent…until she propositioned me. It's one sided. I don't want anything to do with her." Christian started trembling.

"I feel betrayed, Christian." Anastasia didn't know what else to say.

"I didn't know the severity of my actions, Ana. I didn't mean to hurt you. You already had enough on your plate with your attack…I didn't want to bother you with this shit. It wasn't worth even telling you about, because I don't have feelings like that for her. I'm sorry. If I could go back in time and tell you, I would…hell, I'd block her phone number from the very beginning. She's obviously had a mental break."

Anastasia caught the others standing in the corner, looking on and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Let's just see what we can salvage."

Christian nodded and closed the distance between them, cupping her face. "I love you, Anastasia. Only you. I'll make this better, baby. I promise. I'll do whatever it takes."

She gave a nod. "Let's just see how...Oh no..." Anastasia realized what she had left in her nightstand drawer. She pushed Christian aside and ran to her bedroom. Pulling open her nightstand drawer she saw it was empty. "Shit! This isn't happening." She pressed her palms into her eye sockets and pushed.

"It's empty...what's wrong?" Christian asked from behind her.

"She took my Sig!" Anastasia turned toward Christian, her panic slowly growing.

"Your what?"

"My Sig Sauer! My handgun!"

"Fuck. TAYLOR!" Christian yelled, pulling her into his arms.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?"

"Miss Steele's handgun is missing. Leila must have taken it."

Taylor nodded and pulled out his phone. "I'll see who I can get."

Anastasia furrowed her brow. "What?"

"I'm getting you a bodyguard, Anastasia."

Her eyes widened. "It's really _that_ serious? What about you?"

"Taylor is trained to protect me." Christian answered. "And yes, it's really that serious. Look what she did to your home. She is mentally unstable. She could do anything."

Anastasia squeezed him tighter. "She wouldn't hurt you, would she?" She buried her head in his chest and willed herself not to think about it.

"I'm more worried about you, Ana." He buried his hand into her hair and pressed her head into his chest. "I have complete trust in Taylor, baby. We'll be fine. He'll look into it and find her and we'll get this taken care of. Let's just see what we can salvage and I'll hire someone to clean out the debris later."

She nodded against his chest and pulled away. "Okay. Let's do this."

He gave her a small smile and leaned in and kissed her. "I love you."

XxXxXx

"Man, Ana. You sure have a lot of pictures. Aw! I remember this!" Kate slurred, picking through everything on the living room floor. They had opened the last two bottles of wine in Anastasia's fridge and Kate had more than her fair share.

Anastasia came in from the kitchen to see what she was holding. Kate held up a picture and Anastasia smiled. It was the two of them, Jose, and Kate's date, Dominic, before prom.

"Ah...yes. Prom. That was an eventful night." Anastasia nodded, laughing.

Elliot cocked an eyebrow, looking amused. "And why was that?"

Kate blushed.

"Your girlfriend drank too much beforehand and tried to de-pant her date right at our table. Thanks to Kate and her raging hormones, we were kicked out." Anastasia explained, grinning.

Elliot laughed and threw his arm around Kate. "That's my girl!"

Kate rolled her eyes and continued to look through the pictures. "How many pictures of you and Jose do you have, Ana? Are you incapable of taking a photo without him?"

Anastasia's eyes narrowed. "Shut up, Kate. Why would I have photo's of just me?" She could already feel Christian tense beside her.

"Aw! It's our graduation day! Do you remember what was supposed to happen that day?"

"Shut up, Kate!" Anastasia warned.

"Ooh! Must be juicy! What is it?" Mia asked, grinning.

Christian clenched his jaw. "Yes, Kate. Enlighten us."

Anastasia winced.

"Well..." Kate grinned, sitting up straighter and taking another large sip of wine. "Ana and Jose had this agreement that if neither of them had sex before graduation, they would do the deed together that evening."

"You slept with Jose?!" Elliot asked, surprised.

"No!" Anastasia was quick to answer.

"Why not?"

"Jose fucked up and slept with some random girl in Mexico when his family went for the holiday's that winter. Said he was so drunk that he didn't even remember it... that man still regrets it til this day." Kate said, shaking her head.

"Thank you, Kate." Anastasia scowled.

"You are welcome." Kate smiled, raising her glass to Ana.

Anastasia's eyes wandered to Christian. He had his mask on. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen.

"Christian...I'm yours. It all happened like it was supposed to. I wasn't ready by then anyway. I would have probably backed out of it."

Christian shook his head.

Anastasia pulled him to her. "Please Christian." She felt her tears bubbling over. "Today is one of the worst days of my life. Don't disconnect from me."

Christian sighed. "You two are so close that you felt comfortable enough with climbing into bed with him just because you were over eighteen?"

"He's safe, Christian. I really didn't think I'd ever have a real relationship. Men scared me too much. It was a terrible idea and it should have never been discussed. I didn't agree to it because I had feelings for him. I just felt safe." Anastasia explained.

"I don't want you alone with him."

"Christian!"

"No, Ana. You heard Kate. He still regrets it. I won't allow him to take what's mine."

Anastasia scowled. "Like I would just run off with him! It was four years ago! You have some nerve being angry when you _just_ went behind _my_ back and spoke to your fucking crazy ex! You stand here, trying to _ban_ me from seeing my _friend_? At least he isn't psychotic! You don't see him breaking into your house and breaking everything you own, do you? He doesn't want me! You are a domineering, hypocritical asshole!" Anastasia poked his chest. "Where is Taylor? I want to go!"

XxXxXx

Anastasia found her hate fire getting stronger and stronger as they made it closer to home. She wanted to go looking for this Leila herself and put an end to it. Christian throws a fit every time a man even looks at her and here he is talking to one of his crazy ex's who is still in love with him. Christian was hers and _only_ hers.

She opened the door to the bedroom she locked herself into and yelled for him. "CHRISTIAN! Where are you?!"

He opened his office door. "What is it, Anastasia? I'm in the middle of a meeting with Taylor." He growled out.

"I don't give a fuck what you are doing. Get your ass in here. Now." Anastasia said, pointing to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry?" Christian asked, looking surprised.

"You heard me. Come here." Anastasia crossed her arms.

He rolled his eyes and looked back at Taylor. "We'll finish this later."

When he made it to the door of the bedroom, Anastasia grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him inside, slamming the door, and pushing him backwards until he fell onto the bed. "Fuck, Ana! What the hell-"

"Shut up!" She climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. "You are mine, Christian! No ones but mine." She kissed him hard. "Do I need to remind you?"

His eyes darkened and his erection pressed against the inside of her leg. "Shit, Ana...you are so fucking sexy." He reached up and squeezed her hips.

She grabbed his face and kissed him again. "Don't you fucking forget it, either." She tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth, pulling on it and his hips rose as he groaned.

Anastasia's blue eyes connected to Christian's gray ones. "You are mine, Christian. Only mine. Fuck me. Now."

He sat up quickly and pushed her onto her back, her head barely landing at the foot of the bed before his hands were ripping her panties off of her.

Anastasia gasped as he threw the torn panties to the side. Her toes dipped into the bed as her core clenched. That was one of the sexiest things she'd ever seen.

He hurried to undo his pants and pulled them down just enough so that his erection sprang free and reached for her hips and yanked her down the bed. Anastasia started to pant and wriggled her hips, trying to find some sort of friction.

He leaned over her. "Still. Do not make me hold you down." He grabbed her wrists and pulled them over her head, holding them together with his left hand. "Leave them there." He commanded, before raising back up, grabbing the back of each leg and pushing them up to her shoulders before slamming into her.

Anastasia cried out and gripped the sheets above her head. "Yes! Christian! Don't stop!"

He grunted in response and quickened his pace.

"Mine. Christian. You're mine!" Anastasia claimed, panting.

"Yes. All yours. Shit Ana!" Christian answered, feeling her walls started to flutter.

He released her legs and collapsed on top of her while they tried catching their breath. Her hands came back down and buried in his hair, holding his head to her chest.

"My turn."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "What are you talking about?"

He sat up and flipped her over, making her gasp.

"I'm still angry. I'm claiming you now." Christian told her. "Head and shoulders down. Get on your knees and spread them."

She laid there, a bit worried.

He squeezed her backside. "I'm not going to hit you. I'm going to fuck you."

She hummed and did as he asked. "Good girl." He told her, sliding his palm up her spine and back down. "You are mine, Anastasia. Only mine." He told her as he positioned himself. "Say it, Ana. Who do you belong to?"

"You, Christian." She panted, already ready again for him.

"And the only man who can make you come?"

She moaned at the thought. "Only you, Christian." Her core clenched, wishing he'd just fuck her already.

He gripped her ass and slid his dick along his slit. She tried to push into him, but he held her in place.

"So eager, Ana. You want me buried inside of you?" He teased her opening with the head of penis.

"Oh, yes. Please." Anastasia felt like she was going to burst.

"Only me? Only my dick?"

Anastasia whimpered. "Yes, only yours."

"Good." He gripped her hips, rearing back, and slammed into her.

She screamed into the mattress as her orgasm pulsed through her body, surprising her.

He grabbed the hair at the back of her head and forced her head to the side. "I want to hear you Ana. Use my name."

"Oh, Oh Christian!" She continued to moan as he pumped into her, riding out her orgasm. When he felt her walls relax, he wrapped an arm around her hips and pumped harder.

"Mine, Ana. No one's but mine. This. Pussy. Is. Mine." He growled, with each thrust.

"Mmm, yes. Yes, Christian."

Anastasia felt his dick start to twitch and she gripped him tighter, making him hiss. "My little sex kitten." He smacked her ass, pushing her over the edge again and he followed.

XxXxXx

"I like angry sex." She mentioned while she laid against his chest, listening to his heart.

He chuckled. "The being angry part isn't as much fun."

"No. It's not."

"You're going to be sore, later." Christian told her.

"I don't mind." She turned her head and kissed his chest. He sucked in a breath and stilled.

"I'm sorry." She laid her head back down on his chest. "I won't do it again."

He sighed. "Baby steps, Ana." He leaned down and kissed her hair.

"I'll be more careful."

He sighed. "I really need to speak with Taylor now, Ana. It really can't wait any longer."

She frowned, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry." She rolled off of him and pulled the duvet up to her chin, relaxing against her pillow. "Go on."

Christian frowned and turned toward her. "Don't be like that. I need to keep you safe, Ana. I'll come back as soon as we're done. We'll bathe together." He leaned in and kissed her softly.

She nodded. "Okay."

"Seriously. Don't get up. I'd like to keep the image of you, naked in our bed while I'm gone." Christian smiled.

Anastasia laughed. "Get out of here. Hurry up. I need a shower."

He kissed her once more. "Going!"

He jumped up and pulled a pair of pajama pants out of the dresser, slipping them on and sliding his fingers through his hair before disappearing into the other room.

Anastasia sighed and rubbed her face. She couldn't believe what just happened. She had never felt so possessive before; all she could think about was throwing him down and making him fuck her brains out. She shook her head and laughed at the thought.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Bit of a filler.**

"Anastasia...this is Sawyer. He'll be your bodyguard." Christian announced when she appeared from their bedroom the next morning, dressed for work.

"Um..hello." Anastasia nodded toward the handsome brunette with blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Steele." Sawyer nodded back at her. "I'll be taking you to work this morning."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "I need to speak with Mr. Grey for a moment...will you excuse us?" She pulled Christian back into the bedroom.

"I don't want him to take me to work!" Anastasia's eyes were almost bugging out of her head.

"Relax, Ana. You have nothing to worry about. Luke Sawyer is gay." Christian assured her.

A small smile appeared on her face. "Really?"

"Yes. We did a thorough background check on Sawyer. He was honorably discharged from the military, has a clean record, and has been married to his husband for one year. Taylor trusts him. I trust him. You are safe." Christian held her face between his hands.

"Why does he have to take me? It's kind of embarrassing."

Christian chuckled. "I'm paying him a lot of money to keep you safe, Ana. Plus...your car is totaled."

Anastasia winced as she remembered. "Right. I need to do something about that..." She sighed. "I still don't know why we're not calling the police and reporting Leila."

"Anastasia...we talked about this. You know how private I am. The last thing we need is someone snooping into my background. I can keep you just as safe...safer than the police. What if Leila finds out they are looking for her? What if she goes off the deep end and comes looking? Leila is not in a good place right now. She isn't herself. They would just throw her away instead of getting her the help she needs. She needs to be committed and get psychological help."

Anastasia looked at him, her stomach churning. She hated the fact that he was so gung-ho about where Leila ended up. She didn't like that he cared so much for her...even though it was a very lovely thing to do. She didn't want him caring that much about any other woman. Especially when the woman went and completely totaled everything she had. Ever since Christian declared he was courting Anastasia, it had been nothing but a shit storm and she wondered if it would always be that way.

"Ugh...fine, whatever." Anastasia was too annoyed to go any further. Plus they both had to be at work soon.

Christian sighed. "Are you ready? We'll go down to the garage together." He took her hand and escorted her back into the main room.

"Taylor...Sawyer...let's go." Christian announced.

Anastasia grabbed her handbag off the counter in the kitchen and said goodbye to Mrs. Jones before climbing in the elevator with the three men.

Christian smiled warmly at Anastasia. "You like Gail."

Anastasia grinned. "I love her. She's just lovely." She caught Taylor's eye and saw that he was grinning. "It's so nice having a woman around when there's so much testosterone being thrown around. She's the real reason why I stayed." She teased.

Christian's eyebrow cocked. "I'll have to make sure she stays then, Miss Steele. Maybe she needs a raise."

Her eyes lit up. "Yes! That would be a wonderful idea! Don't forget Taylor's, now." She added, making Christian chuckle.

As they exited the elevator and walked into the garage, Anastasia saw a new car sitting in the R8's spot with a large gray bow on it. It was a brand new, red Audi TTS coupe.

"Another new car, Christian?" Anastasia questioned, shaking her head.

"Not for me." He said coming up behind her and holding out the key in front of her.

She gasped. "CHRISTIAN!" She squealed and turned around and squeezed him around the waist, making him laugh. "Really?" She pulled back enough to look at him.

"She's all yours." He nodded, opening his hand and offering her the keys.

She grabbed them and held them to her chest, looking at the car. "Christian! It's just beautiful! Oh, I can't wait to drive it!"

She unlocked it and it made a beeping sound, making her raise her shoulders with excitement. "I love that sound!"

She hopped in the driver's seat to check out the interior and Christian climbed into the passengers side to show her how everything worked.

"Oh Christian! This is just a dream! You've outdone yourself! Thank you so much." She leaned over the center console and gave him a sweet kiss.

"You are very welcome, baby."

"Can I take it today?" She asked, hopeful.

He looked uncertain. "Sawyer was going to drive you in the Lincoln."

She pouted. "Please? I want to drive."

He sighed. "Okay, fine. Be careful! Sawyer will tell me if you aren't."

Anastasia grinned. "I will! Thank you, Christian! Can we go now?"

Christian laughed. "Eager to get rid of me?"

"You're more than welcome to be my passenger, Christian."

He snorted. "No, thank you. I think I'll leave the driving to Taylor."

"Don't trust me?" Anastasia asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I don't trust anyone's driving except my own and Taylor's." Christian answered.

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Out, Mr. Grey! Tell Sawyer to hurry up."

He growled and pulled her face close to his, kissing her roughly. "Manners, Miss Steele!"

She grinned. "Oh, yes...speaking of manners...I'll need to thank you properly for this lovely gift. I think a Christian exclusive might be in order. You'd be lovely for dessert tonight."

Christian groaned. "It's going to be a long day." He complained, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

XxXxXx

When Anastasia reached the parking garage across the street from SIP, she realized her cheeks were hurting from smiling too hard.

She looked over to Sawyer who looked at her expectantly.

"So...um...how does this whole thing work?" She asked.

"Miss Steele, I am your bodyguard. I go where you go." Sawyer told her.

"Including my office?" She wasn't sure if she was that thrilled with having someone in her personal space all day long.

"No, I'll stand guard in the hall, check the doors, walk the perimeter, and keep an eye on your car. I've got hourly rounds that Mr. Grey and Taylor outlined for me." Sawyer explained.

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Wow...and I thought being a security guard was boring." She shook her head. "Well...let's go!" She was not looking forward to the looks she was going to get from her colleagues.

He escorted her across the street and into the building, looking around as he went. It made Anastasia extremely paranoid and she found herself looking around even though she didn't know what to look for.

"Hello, Ana!" Olivia called from the front desk.

"Good morning, Olivia! This is Sawyer. Mr. Grey has hired him...he'll be hanging around for...awhile. If he gets thirsty or hungry, would you mind grabbing him something?" Anastasia asked, trying not to blush.

"Absolutely! Nice to meet you Sawyer. What do you do?" Olivia offered her hand and he shook it.

"I am Miss Steele's bodyguard. I'll be doing rounds every hour and making sure she stays safe." Sawyer answered, making Anastasia wince.

"Bodyguard? Ana...are you okay?" Olivia's eyes widened.

"Oh, yes! Everything is fine! Just a bit of a precaution is all. Sawyer...would you like a coffee? Olivia...I'd like my tea now." Anastasia answered.

When Sawyer denied the coffee, Olivia hurried off to the lunch room and Anastasia continued to her office.

XxXxXx

Anastasia quickly became annoyed by Sawyer's presence. When she had her door shut and he did his rounds, he was constantly opening it to make sure she was okay. She finally just gave up and left it wide open even though it made it harder for her to concentrate on her work while the others were constantly walking around talking, phones were going off, and Elizabeth's loud voice came from the office next door...even when she had the door closed.

"Sawyer?" Anastasia asked, as she watched him stand in front of her open door, his back to her. "Would you like some lunch? I'm about to order some."

He turned and looked at her. She could see the gears turning in his head; he wasn't sure if he was allowed to take a lunch break or not.

"Sawyer...I am sure that Mr. Grey would not like you skipping meals while you are trying to do your job. He'd want you to keep a clear head. Now...I am ordering Jimmy Johns. What would you like?" Anastasia asked, making the decision for him.

When Jimmy Johns came, Anastasia made Sawyer take a break and eat at her desk with her. She got to know a little more about him and it made her feel more comfortable. They were halfway done with their meal when Anastasia looked up and saw Christian at the doorway.

She grinned at him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Grey! How may I help you?"

His eyebrow raised in question.

"Sawyer was going to go the whole day without eating! Can you believe it? I told him that you would never want him to go that long without eating while he was trying to do his job. He can't have a clear head if he doesn't have nourishment." Anastasia knew he couldn't fight this.

Christian nodded. "Understood, Miss Steele. I want Sawyer at his best one-hundred percent of the time."

She stood up to kiss him, but then realized she wasn't sure if she should in the business setting. Seeing her predicament, Christian stepped in and closed the door and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. "I just wanted to make sure you and Sawyer were doing alright your first day. I made a meeting with Mrs. Morgan while I'm here."

Anastasia smiled. "Sawyer's been great. Thank you for checking up on us." She said, even though she was a little annoyed.

Luckily, Christian didn't catch her annoyance and kissed her again. "I'll be in Elizabeth's office if you need me."

XxXxXx

Anastasia was in the lobby speaking with Olivia when Christian emerged from Elizabeth's office.

"Hello, Mr. Grey!" Olivia nodded, making Anastasia turn around.

"Hello, ladies. I'm heading out."

"Have a great day, Mr. Grey." Anastasia answered.

He cocked an eyebrow at Anastasia. "You too, Miss Steele."

She licked her lips subconsciously and nodded. She saw his eyes darken and his jaw clench.

"Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, confused.

He took two long strides toward her, grabbed her face and kissed her. Anastasia tensed as his lips hit hers, but as she felt the electricity flow through her lips and down to her core, she relaxed and melted into him. She felt her legs start to shake and he grabbed her around the waist and held her to him as he slipped his tongue into her mouth before slowly ending the kiss, kissing her softly twice more before looking down at her.

She felt breathless and lightheaded. He hadn't kissed her like that in awhile. "Breathe, Anastasia." He whispered, smiling at her. "I'm going to let go now." He added.

She blinked a few times and then nodded, coming to her senses. She realized where they were and jerked back to reality, clearing her throat and straightening her gray skirt and blouse.

"Laters, baby." He said quietly, winking and turning to leave the building.

Olivia and Elizabeth stood there with their mouths open. Benjamin had the decency to turn around and pretend to be busy.

Anastasia cleared her throat again. "Olivia...I'll be in my office." She rubbed the back of her neck and hurried off to her office, getting looks from random people as she went.

 _*Mr. Grey! That was very unprofessional!*_ Anastasia texted him, embarrassed.

 _*I own the company Anastasia. I'll do as I please.*_

 _*Not with me you won't! I have to work with these people!*_

 _*I'm sorry, baby. I can't keep my hands off of you. It was only meant to be small, but when I noticed everyone watching, I figured I'd make a show out of it.*_

"Miss Steele!"

Anastasia jumped in her seat and looked up to see Elizabeth standing inside her door.

"Yes, Elizabeth? What can I do for you?"

"What you can do is keep your personal life separate from work! I will not allow you to conduct yourself in an undignified manner! This is a place of work, not your bedroom! I will not hesitate writing you up and firing you...I don't care who your boyfriend is! I also don't appreciate you sending him down here to have a "meeting" with me to audit me. I am doing nothing wrong and I won't stand by while you try to take my job!" Elizabeth looked murderous.

"Elizabeth...I assure you that, that little incident in the main foyer will not happen again. I'm not happy about it myself. I want you to understand that I had no idea that Mr. Grey was even coming today. He did not mention your meeting until he got here. I am not pushing for your job and to be honest, I don't want it. I have enough on my plate without added stress. It is not unheard of for a new owner to perform audits on all employees; it is actually quite smart to do so. I think you do a wonderful job and if Mr. Grey asked my opinion... I would tell him that. I am sorry that you are feeling insecure and threatened right now, but attacking me because of my relationship is just as unprofessional as the show Mr. Grey put on out in the foyer. If you want us to keep our relationship out of work, then I need you to do the same. I do not want to hear you say another word about us or treat me cruely because of it, again. If you do, we _will_ have a problem. Do you understand?" Anastasia asked, keeping eye contact.

Elizabeth seemed to relax her shoulders a little. "Anastasia...I apologize. I was feeling threatened and it was unprofessional of me to act the way I did."

Anastasia gave a nod.

XxXxXx

Sawyer showed up at Anastasia's door, looking worried.

"Sawyer? What is it?" Anastasia frowned.

"Someone leaked that you needed a bodyguard to the press. They are starting to swarm. I left through the back and snuck around to look through the crowd...I didn't see her, Miss Steele. I think we should go before the group gets bigger. Mr. Grey requests you home, now." Sawyer explained from the doorway.

Her heartrate quickened. She hated the press. Last time it lasted a whole week. She took a deep, cleansing breath and grabbed her handbag and her keys. She handed her keys to Sawyer; she hated driving while she was so worked up.

"I'll go ahead, you stay close behind me. I'll block you." Sawyer said, straightening his suit.

Anastasia nodded, and reminded herself to take deep, slow breaths.

He opened the door and she followed him out, hearing the people before seeing them. She grabbed on to the back of his jacket with both hands and kept herself close. She could feel her knees shaking as they slowly made their way through the crowd. His arm moved behind him and held her to him, making sure she stayed put, as he started to move faster through the crowd, forcing them through.

"Are you okay, Miss Steele?" Sawyer asked once they were in the car.

She laughed and rubbed her face. "Me? Are you okay?"

He smiled and started the car. "It's my job, Miss Steele."

When they pulled into the garage of Escala, Taylor and Christian were both waiting for them. Christian hurried over to her door and opened it for her

"Are you okay, Ana?" Christian looked half panicked.

She laughed. "I am fine. Sawyer took the brunt of it." Anastasia felt much more calm now that the shock wore off. She decided that she would never read a tabloid again.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Christian's lips. "You find this humorous?"

"It's laughable! They don't have better things to do than follow a girl they've never heard of before?" Anastasia leaned up and kissed him. "Hello, by the way."

XxXxXx

"They're saying that you hired a bodyguard as protection against me." Christian frowned, staring at his computer. Anastasia came around his desk and sat in his lap to look.

There was a picture of Sawyer and her leaving SIP, Anastasia pressed up against his back and his arm around her behind him.

She scanned through the article and snorted. "How can I be cheating on you with Sawyer if we're no longer together?" She shook her head. "Ridiculous."

Christian sighed and rested his chin against her shoulder. "This is why I am so private. Your world has been turned upside down and it's all my fault."

Anastasia turned in his lap, forcing him to lift his head, and looked up at him. "Their opinion doesn't matter Christian."

He frowned. "What if you get sick of it and leave?"

Anastasia wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands slipping into his copper hair. "Oh, baby…you are worth all of this. I won't leave you because of some shitty reporter who doesn't have anything better to do than make up ridiculous stories about people they don't know. You are the love of my life Christian. I'm not stupid enough to let that go." She kissed him softly and felt him grin against her lips.

"I love you, Ana."

"Love you, too." Anastasia smiled at him and jumped up, hurrying around his desk to close his door.

His eyebrow rose.

"I believe I owe you a Christian excusive." She mentioned, kneeling down in front of him.

His eyes widened, before he grinned.

She reached up and worked quickly on his belt and popped open the button on his gray pants. She slowly lowered the zipper, the sound seeming rather loud in the quiet office. She giggled and shook her head.

"I was just wondering if Taylor could hear that. I feel like we're teenagers trying to sneak around behind his back." Anastasia said quietly, making Christian chuckle.

She gripped his hips and yanked, making his hips slide down a little. She then slipped her fingers into his waist band and he raised his hips, allowing her to pull his pants and boxer-briefs down enough to free his erection. She hummed as she watched it spring free.

He grinned. "Glad you like what you see."

"Oh, I love what I see, Mr. Grey. I love the taste even better." Anastasia mentioned, leaning over and taking him in, making him hiss and lean back in his chair.

She took her time, enjoying the fact that she could treat him, when usually, it was the other way around. She loved the moans and groans that she could elicit from him, loved the way his hands gripped the leather armrests as he tried not to flex his hips into her.

She began to hum a tune while she looked up at him, and his head fell back against his headrest, his mouth open in an 'O' shape. God, he was sexy. She slipped him in to his hilt, sucking hard, and he poured inside of her, moaning her name while his hips flexed.

There was a light knock and the door swung open. "Mr. Grey…"

Their heads snapped toward the door and Taylor quickly stepped back, shutting the door behind him.

Anastasia felt herself redden from her head to her toes and she hid her face in his thigh.

"Thank God he waited til after I came." Christian grinned.

"Christian!" Anastasia scowled up at him.

He laughed. "What? It would have been a complete mood ruiner."

She stood and turned to huff away, but he quickly grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, holding her to him.

"Relax." He whispered into her ear. "He's not stupid, Ana. He knows what adults do. Gail probably does the same."

Anastasia scrunched her nose. "You can stop talking now. You aren't making this better."

He chuckled and kissed her neck, causing her to shiver. "Hmm…" He grinned. "Let me try that again." He continued up her neck and she tilted her head so he could continue. He kissed up her jaw and she turned her head so he could reach her lips.

"I love the way you react to me." Christian said, kissing her once more.

She smiled. "Me too. You're so sexy when I treat you." She licked her lips at the thought.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I want to note that Ana did not receive the submissive special. They got A5's. I want to thank sanjanasandeep232 for listening and for letting me bounce ideas off of you.**

 **Correction: A3**

On Friday, Taylor and Christian picked Anastasia and Sawyer up from work, Christian stating he wanted to take her to dinner.

"Is this so the public sees us together?" Anastasia asked, half-amused.

He chuckled. "I haven't really taken you on any dates, Ana. I'd like to take you to this Italian restaurant in town. Everything is organic and home-made. It's one of my favorites."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Okay, and I want everyone to know that you are mine...are you saying no?"

Anastasia smiled. "There is no way that I am passing up a date with you. Plus, I'd like everything to know you're mine too." She reached over and squeezed his hand.

Christian smiled and concentrated on the road ahead of them.

When they reached the restaurant, Taylor and Sawyer climbed out of the SUV, letting the valet take the SUV, and Sawyer opened Ana's door, letting her and Christian slide out. Taylor walked in front of them with Sawyer trailing behind, keeping his eye out. The restaurant was a favorite of many celebrities, meaning there were a few paparazzi with their cameras hanging outside the door. Christian wrapped an arm tightly around Anastasia and kept her close, keeping his eyes on the back of Taylor's head. Anastasia kept her eyes downcast, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the terrible photographers.

"Mr. Grey! You and Miss Steele are back together?" One called.

"How did you feel when you found out about their affair?" Another asked.

Christian rolled his eyes and turned toward the reporter, startling Anastasia and security. "Oh, fuck off! Anastasia is mine. It is a nothing, but a blatant lie!" Christian's face was hard, his eyes stone cold. The man's eyes widened. It even made Anastasia shiver and he wasn't even looking at her. Christian set his jaw and stepped away from the man, escorting Anastasia inside.

They were escorted into a private part of the room, separated by a sheer white drape. Christian held out Anastasia's chair, kissing her temple, before taking his own seat. Anastasia looked around and saw two forms in suits standing on the opposite side of the drape, their backs against the drape. Anastasia wondered how boring it would be to have to stand watch while everyone else ate. It must be annoying to have everyone else in the other room staring at them, curious.

"Your menu, Miss Steele." Anastasia's head snapped forward, seeing the waiter holding her menu open for her.

"Oh, um...thank you." She blushed, taking it from him and looking down at it.

"You're biting that lip, Anastasia." Christian said quietly, after the waiter left. "That curtain is not private enough for what I have in mind if you continue."

She gasped and looked up at him.

"Is something wrong, Anastasia?" Christian asked, a 'V' forming on his forehead.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I just got lost in my head. I was just wondering how they felt having to stand like that." She answered, looking at their backs.

Christian stretched his arm across the table and held out his hand for her to take. She placed her hand in his and he flipped their hands over, his thumb grazing over her knuckles. "Ana, baby...it's their job. Right now, it's important that we keep you safe. I don't make Taylor do this on a regular basis. He knows how serious this situation is."

Anastasia frowned. "If it's so serious...then why are we out?"

"I refuse to stop living. I know we've spent a lot of time at home and you deserve to be taken out and spoiled. I want to spoil you, Ana. I want to take you places no one else has...that no one else could. I want you to feel special, because you are."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, Christian...you've already spoiled me. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world, having such an amazing man love me. I don't need you to spoil me with all this, Christian. Just being with you makes me feel special." She squeezed his hand and he smiled at her before looking down at his menu.

"So, what sounds good, baby?

Anastasia looked down at the menu and bit her lip. She closed the menu and looked back up at him. "Would you mind deciding? I trust your judgement." She closed the menu and set it to the side.

He grinned. "I'd like that. Thank you." He looked rather pleased by her comment.

She smiled back at him and made a mental note that he preferred to order for her. She wouldn't always allow him to, of course, but when she was feeling indecisive or particularly pleased with him, she'd use that line again.

The waiter came back with a bottle of champagne and poured Christian a bit in the glass. Anastasia watched as he tried it and then nodded. "Fine." He told the waiter.

Anastasia raised an eyebrow at his shortness while the waiter poured more into his glass and then filled hers. She looked up at the waiter to see him staring at her while he poured. She noticed her glass was getting quite full.

"Um…that's enough, I think." She said quietly, making his eyes jerk back to the glass and he turned the bottle upright.

"Sorry, Miss." He mentioned, setting the champagne between the two. "Are you ready to order?" He asked, giving her a small smile. She wished he didn't. She could practically feel the anger coming off of Christian from across the table. She already felt awkward and out of place and now she felt even more awkward.

"Oh...um…Christian?" Anastasia looked at him and tried to give him a small smile.

The waiter turned to Christian. "What would you like, Mr. Grey?"

Christian's jaw set. "What I would like, is for you to stop ogling my girlfriend and act professional. From now on you will address me and only me, or you will find yourself out of a job. I don't want to catch you looking at her again, do you understand? If you can't control yourself, then bring us another waiter."

Anastasia gasped. Say hello to the green-eyed monster. She hoped that this wouldn't cause the waiter to do something to their food.

The waiter, who couldn't have been more than twenty, swallowed thickly and nodded. He looked visibly shaken by Christian's words.

Anastasia grabbed her glass and took a sip, trying to find something to occupy her during the awkward encounter. She realized the champagne was quite delightful. It was crisp and not too sweet.

"I understand, Mr. Grey. What can I get you to eat?"

Christian ordered quickly, grabbed Anastasia's menu off the table himself, and handed them over to the waiter. Anastasia took a deep cleansing breath as he left, feeling some of the pressure leave her chest.

"This champagne is delightful." She mentioned, hoping to get her sweet Christian back.

He smiled. "Glad you like it. Nothing beats a good Bollinger. Especially a Rosè." He took another sip himself.

She giggled. "I don't know if I'll ever get use to this. I feel so out of place. I grew up with Ray, living paycheck to paycheck, feeling special when he had enough money to buy me some Diet Pepsi." She smiled at him.

He chuckled. "Is that why you choose to have it at every meal now?"

"Ha ha, Mr. Grey. I didn't get it much growing up, so I like that I can have it whenever I want now. I've become a bit of an addict. I get grumpy if I don't get my soda for a couple days." Anastasia made a grumpy face to prove her point, making him grin and shake his head.

"You are adorable, Anastasia."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Thanks…I think…" She wasn't sure if that was the word she wanted to be called by her boyfriend.

He smiled warmly at her. "It's a compliment, Miss Steele."

She returned his smile and took another sip of her champagne.

"Is Elizabeth giving you problems, baby? Sawyer said she came in yesterday, quite upset." Christian asked, eyeing her.

She rolled her eyes. "It was just a misunderstanding. I took care of it."

Christian grinned. "Sawyer had mentioned that, too. I just wanted to make sure."

"So…" She began, not knowing if she should bring it up, but wanting to get away from the Elizabeth subject. "Is there any news on Leila? Has Taylor found anything out?"

Christian frowned. "Not yet. Her phone is off and we couldn't track her by GPS." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't wait until this is over."

Anastasia nodded in agreement. "Me either."

XxXxXx

"Thank you for the lovely dinner, Christian. It was nice doing something a little different." Anastasia said, as they were on their way back to Escala.

"You are more than welcome. I enjoyed our little date…apart from that fucker who couldn't keep his eyes off of you." Christian mentioned, his jaw clenching.

"Baby, please don't. It's over and we had a nice time. Don't dwell on it." Anastasia unclipped her belt a d slid over to him, holding his hand in both of hers and leaning her head against his shoulder. "I love you." She added, kissing his neck softly.

He sighed. "Oh, my sweet girl." He moved his arm and wrapped it around her, holding her tightly to him. "I love you, too."

XxXxXx

Christian escorted Anastasia to their bedroom door and wrapped his arms around her.

"I promised Ros I would look through a couple emails before I went to bed tonight. I'll be back soon. Why don't you slip into something soft and silky and climb into bed?" He asked, his eyes turning molten gray as his hand snuck down and up her skirt, squeezing her left buttock and pulling her against him.

"Mmm…sounds like a plan, baby. Any other requests?" Anastasia asked, leaning up and nipping his adam's apple lightly.

He groaned. "Wear a pair of those little lacy thongs…like the gray pair you wore on my birthday." He smacked her butt lightly. "Go on baby." He said, turning her and smacking her butt again. "Before I lose control and just take you right here."

Anastasia hummed at the thought and bit her lip, looking over her shoulder before she shut the door behind her.

She went straight to their closet and stepped out of her high heels, putting them back in their place before undressing herself. When she was nude, she picked up her garments and threw them in the dark, wicker hamper.

She heard the closet door close behind her and she screamed, turning toward it. She found a half-naked Christian coming toward her. "I can't wait Anastasia." He quickly toed off his shoes and hurried out of his pants, Anastasia watching as she did so.

His molten, gray eyes met her crystal blue ones and he slowly stalked over to her, like a lion stalks its prey. She slowly stepped backward, until her back hit the drawers and the right side of his lip slowly rose into a smirk. She bit her bottom lip and waited for him to close the gap between them.

"No where to go, baby." He whispered and finally closed the gap, using his body to press hers against the drawers, reaching up and cupping her face with his hands.

He leaned down and kissed her, the kiss quickly becoming more heated. His hands dropped from her face to the underside of her butt cheeks, grabbing onto them and hoisting her up against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he pushed her against the drawers, slipping his dick into her core. She moaned, feeling him stretch her, her head falling back.

"You feel so good, baby. Hold on tight. This is going to be quick." Christian told her, grinding his hips, pressing harder against her walls.

She tightened her grip on his neck, her hands grabbing her elbows, and she locked her ankles together. He kissed her as he started to flex, his thrusts rapidly increasing in speed with each one.

"Oh, Christian! Oh God! Yes, don't stop!" Anastasia begged as he pounded into her, her breasts bouncing at the force of his hips.

He kissed her roughly. "Let go, Ana. Scream my name." He said through short, sharp breaths of air.

Her body and mouth obeyed, her orgasm coursing through her veins, causing her legs to spasm and her whole body to shudder. He called out her name as he released, filling her.

She opened her eyes after a few seconds and gave him a drowsy smile.

He kissed her. "I'm going to set you down, baby."

She nodded and straightened up, releasing her ankles and putting her feet flat on the floor. She stayed, leaned up against the drawers, while she watched him open her underwear drawer, his eyes roaming through her panties. He reached in and pulled out a pale pink low rise, lace thong.

"Wear these."

She took them from him and turned around, reaching for the matching Stella McCartney 'Clara' whispering stretch silk chemise.

"Mind if I shower, Mr. Grey?" She asked, turning toward him.

He slipped on a pair of gray knit bottoms. "Go ahead, baby. I'll be done soon after." He kissed her once more and opened the door, disappearing.

Anastasia took a quick shower and dressed quickly, looking forward to the nice, soft bed. She quickly found herself starting to doze off while she waited for him.

XxXxXx **A/N: This contains comfort suckling. If you are not comfortable with the subject, stop reading.**

She heard the door open and she opened her eyes to see Christian coming through, looking panicked.

She sat up quickly. He shut the door and hurried over to her, lying horizontal on the bed, his head in her lap.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She noticed he was trembling.

"She got in. She got into the apartment!" He told her, shutting his eyes and nuzzling into her stomach.

"What? When? How?" Anastasia's head was swimming. "Is she still here?"

He shook his head. "I was on my computer, reading a long email and the screensaver popped up and it was Leila, naked. I jumped up and immediately got Taylor, thinking she hacked into the computer, but Taylor pulled the security footage and found her entering and exiting. She came in through the fire exit while we were gone and left before we got back." Christian reached up and pushed on her shoulders, nonverbally asking her to lie down. She obliged and his head moved to lay on her abdomen under her breasts.

Anastasia stomach churned at the thought. "So we're not safe here?"

"Taylor's fixing it now." Christian mentioned, staring up at her left breast. "I have so much anxiety, Ana. I've never felt so out of control!" She ran her hand through his hair to try and calm him.

He reached up and hooked his finger into the left side of her chemise, pulling it down and freeing her breast. He moved up and latched onto it, suckling.

Anastasia gasped at his bold move and then realized it didn't feel sexual at all. She remembered her mother mentioning something on the phone once to one of her friends, when Anastasia was eavesdropping. Carla had told her friend that her third husband liked to do something called comfort suckling when he had a bad day. She had explained it was like sucking a thumb; there was nothing sexual about it. Anastasia remembered being grossed out and regretting listening to the conversation, but now she was glad.

She realized that Christian just needed the comfort; he felt out of control and he needed soothing. She quickly wiped the surprised look of her face so that he wouldn't be offended and continued to run her fingers through his copper locks. He closed his eyes and she felt him relax against her as he continued to suck.

She laid her head back and relaxed herself, making sure he couldn't feel the anxiety rolling off of her. She felt his mouth slow and stop, his breathing evening out. He was asleep. She closed her eyes and was asleep soon after.

XxXxXx

Anastasia awoke to movement and opened her eyes to see Christian righting her clothes and moving to lay beside her, pulling her close to him. She turned to her side and let him be the big spoon.

Christian kissed her neck and entwined their fingers together. "I'm sorry if I freaked you out. I just didn't know what to do and I've heard of it before, so I thought I'd try it."

"Oh, Christian. It didn't freak me out. I'm actually aware of the action myself. It doesn't bother me. It obviously works pretty well for you. You were out like a light within five minutes." She giggled.

He grinned and nuzzled her neck. "Thank you for being understanding."

"You are more than welcome, Christian. I'm glad I can soothe you." She squeezed his hand and yawned.

"Sleep, baby. We've still got most of the night left."

"And no alarm clock." She added, smiling.

"Oh, yes. I plan on waking up late and finishing what I started tonight." He slipped his hand over her bare butt cheek, grazing it slightly before moving his hand to her front, letting his fingers run over the small swatch of lace. "These are definitely my favorite. I'll have to buy you some in every color."

Anastasia rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see her. "Goodnight Christian."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: First of all, I wanted to thank all of you for being so openminded about the comfort suckling scene. I have a couple friends who use the technique and when they told me about it, it sounded like something Christian would do. I was worried that it wouldn't go over well, at first.**

 **Also...This chapter is a bit larger, but I didn't want to separate it. I put tons of effort into this one, so I hope it shows. Enjoy!**

Taylor had the locks changed, more cameras added around the entrances of the home, and had alerted building security that there was someone using the back fire escape to get into the apartment. He refused to go into detail, of course, per Mr. Grey's wishes, but building security said they would be on alert.

Sawyer was now connected to Anastasia's hip, even sitting in her office and escorting her to the restroom while at work. By Thursday, she was ready to pull her hair out. She just wanted him to leave her alone for a little while. All she wanted was to go for a drive, turn up her music, and sing her heart out. She started to look for a way out.

"Miss Steele, I'm going to run to the restroom. Stay here and keep the door closed. I'll be back in a few minutes." Sawyer told her, standing.

"Sure, Sawyer."

She watched him leave and shut the door to her office behind him. She hurried and grabbed her handbag, pulling out her keys and opening the door a smidge to peek out. She watched as he disappeared into the bathroom down the hall. She wrenched the door open and hurried out to the lobby.

"Going somewhere, Ana?" Olivia called, looking confused.

"Yes, Olivia. Calling it an early night. Call or email if you need anything!" Anastasia called, not bothering to stop to talk.

Once outside, she took a deep breath and grinned. She made it out. She looked behind her to make sure Sawyer wasn't following and ran across the street and into the parking garage, jumping into her car and turning the engine on. Her heart was pounding...she was almost free.

She threw it in reverse and hauled her ass out of the parking garage, hitting the gas once she was on the street. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw Sawyer standing in the middle of the street with his arms out, looking completely shocked. She laughed loudly and turned on her music. This is exactly what she needed. She just needed a few minutes to herself.

Her phone rang through the Bluetooth in the car and she sighed. That didn't last long. She hit the ignore button and music came back on. She was just getting into Bon Jovi when her phone rang again. She sighed and decided to answer it.

"Yes?"

"ANASTASIA! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? YOU COME HOME THIS INSTANT! I SWEAR...WHEN I GET AHOLD OF YOU...WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING?" Christian's voice rattled loudly in the car.

"I needed some time to myself." Anastasia answered, trying to stay calm.

"HOME! NOW! YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF IN DANGER!"

"I'm not sure if I want to come home while you're acting like that, Mr. Grey. Maybe you should call Flynn first." Anastasia said, pointedly.

She heard Christian try to take deep, cleansing breaths. It didn't seem to be working. "Anastasia... _please_ come home. Now." He said through clenched teeth.

"What if I don't want to?" Anastasia frowned.

She heard his breathing pick up. "Anastasia...I have never felt so out of control before. You need to come home." He started to pant and that's when she realized he was having a panic attack.

"Okay, Christian. I'm sorry. I'm coming. Please calm down. I didn't mean to work you into a panic attack." Anastasia made a right hand turn and headed toward Escala. "I'm only about five minutes away, baby. Do you want to stay on the phone?" She tried to keep her voice as soothing as possible. "Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth...slowly."

After a minute, she heard him sigh. She could practically feel him relax through the phone. "Yes, I'll stay on the phone, Ana. You took twenty years off my life today."

"Oh, Christian...I'm sorry. I was feeling claustrophobic. Sawyer was smothering me. I couldn't get any work done with him staring at me all day."

They continued to talk, both of them feeling more at ease the closer she got to home.

She dialed in the number for the garage and slipped in. "I'm pulling in now...SHIT!" Anastasia slammed on her brakes, making the tires squeal. Standing in front of her was a wild looking, brunette with a gun raised.

"Anastasia? Anastasia! Answer me!" Christian sounded panicked again.

"It's Leila." Anastasia answered, trying to keep her jaw from moving.

"Out! Out of the car!" She heard Leila call, continuing to stand there with the gun pointed at the car. Anastasia noticed her hands were shaking and she took it to be a good sign. There was a good chance she'd either drop the gun when she tried to shoot or miss her mark when it bucked.

"Anastasia...we're coming! Don't get out of that car! Don't hang up the phone." Christian commanded.

Anastasia slowly exited the vehicle, showing Leila her hands. "Leila...let's not do anything rash. Let's talk about this..." Anastasia encouraged, keeping her hands up and stepping closer to her.

Leila paused for a half a second before lifting the gun and pointing it towards Anastasia's chest. "Why should I talk to you? Master is mine. You're in my way."

Anastasia's eyes widened slightly at the name she used for Christian. "Leila...you cannot blame me for loving him."

Leila sighed and her eyes softened, lowering the gun a couple inches. "No...I guess not." She shook her head and closed her eyes to try to shake her thoughts and Anastasia found her chance.

She lunged at Leila and grabbed her wrist, the gun going off when Leila tried to fight back. The bullet ended up taking a small chunk out of the wall. Anastasia yanked her arm backwards and Leila cried out, dropping the gun and Anastasia kicked it away from them. She bent Leila over by pulling up on her arm that was pinned behind her back and kicked the back of her right knee, making her kneel. Anastasia bent over, making Leila bend down toward the floor on her knees, her face close to the cement.

"I know you know how this works, Leila." Anastasia told her quietly, after Leila cried out again. "Don't move or you will be punished." She warned, using her past against her. Anastasia kneeled behind her and grabbed her other arm, holding it behind her too.

Anastasia heard the ding of the elevator and looked behind her to see Christian and Taylor come running over. Taylor grabbed the gun off the cement and shoved it in his waistband and Christian came to the girls.

"Anastasia! Are you alright?"

Anastasia felt Leila's whole body jolt at his voice. "Still!" Anastasia called, pulling on her arm again.

Christian circled around them and looked down at Leila who looked up for a second before quickly looking back down at his feet. Christian's posture became straighter and Anastasia cocked an eyebrow.

"Anastasia...let her go. Let me take care of this." Christian told her.

"Christian!" She scowled at him.

"Ana...do as I say."

"But..." Looking up at his face, she decided to do as he requested, and let go. She stepped backward and saw that Leila did not move.

"Good girl." She looked up to Christian, expecting him to be talking to her, but he was looking down at Leila. He stroked her hair and Anastasia felt like she was going to be sick.

"Up."

Leila automatically rose, keeping her head down. He took her elbows and lifted her arms, looking at the insides of them and seeing cuts and burns up both arms. He slid his hands down the length of them and held onto her hands. Leila shivered at his touch and Anastasia held back a sob. Christian released her hands and pushed her chin up with his index finger, forcing her to look at him. He searched her face, before reaching up and cupping it.

"What are you doing to yourself?" His brow creased.

"I..I don't want to live...not without you, Master. I have nothing left."

His face dropped and took a deep breath in, pulling her to him, holding her body close to his with one arm while the other hand pressed the side of her head against his chest. "Oh, Leila...you need help."

Leila squeezed him around the waist and squeezed her eyes shut. "I need you."

Anastasia couldn't bear to see anymore. She hit the elevator button and climbed in. As the elevator climbed, she felt herself losing control. Her tears that had welled up, finally began to fall and she let out a gut wrenching sob. Seeing Christian with another woman was the most emotionally painful thing she had ever experienced. She'd take her attack over this any day.

Finally, the elevator opened to the foyer and she hurried into the bedroom, ignoring Mrs. Jones as she called out to her. She slammed the door behind her and headed for the closet while she tried to control her sobbing. She grabbed the turquoise dress that she wore there and a pair of underwear that didn't have tags on them before grabbing one of the larger bags and shoving them inside. She placed them on the bed and pulled out her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Jose..." Anastasia let out a sob. It was so good to hear his voice. She needed the comfort of home.

"Ana?! What's wrong?!"

"I...I can't talk about it...but I'm coming home. I need to come home..." Anastasia explained.

"Come home, Ana. Do you want me to drive out and come get you?" Jose asked.

"No, no. I can't wait that long. I'll drive...I'll be home in a few hours." She sighed, trying to control her breathing. "I just needed to hear your voice, Jose."

There was a pause. "Oh, Ana...just come home. I'll make it better."

She sniffled and smiled. "Promise?"

"I'll do my best." Jose answered.

"Ana?!" Anastasia screamed and turned around, to see Christian standing at the door.

"Ana? What's wrong? Who is it?" Jose asked, worried.

"Everything's fine, Jose. I'll call you back in a bit."

"Ana..."

"I'll call you back. I promise." Anastasia hung up and threw her phone on the bed.

"Are you okay? What is this?" Christian stepped quickly over to her and tried to hug her. The sickly sweet smell of perfume invaded her senses and she pushed him away.

"Ugh, you smell like her." Anastasia scrunched her nose and stepped back. He yanked his shirt over his head, trying to rid himself of the smell. "I'm just going to grab my toiletries and then I'll be gone. Just give me a minute." She said, hurrying into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her, before she lost control again. She could not hear him say the words. She could leave, but having him admit that he didn't want her...or that he wanted Leila...was too much.

She gripped the edge of the sink and tried not to let her emotions take over, but her sobs started to return. She shook her head, angry at herself and reminded herself that being numb was better.

The door opened and she straightened, wiping her tears off of her face and then turning to grab her things out of the drawer.

"Ana, Stop!" Christian demanded.

She turned towards him and saw that he had a blue t-shirt on. She guessed it was to try and mask the smell.

"Please, don't say it Christian. I'll just go. I don't want to have this talk." Anastasia pleaded.

Christian grabbed ahold of her and pulled her to him. "I never once said that I didn't want you or that I wanted Leila."

Anastasia shook her head. "I saw how you were with her." Anastasia's chin trembled. "You held her to your chest."

"Yes, Ana, I did...but I never could have done that if it wasn't for you. Don't you realize how important you are to me? If you didn't help me through some of my issues, I would have never been able to comfort her when she needed it." Christian explained.

"So, you're thanking me for helping you love on other women?" Anastasia just wanted to disappear.

"NO! That's not what I meant. I mean that I don't care for anyone like I care for you. You make me a better person...the person who I want to be. I don't love Leila...I could never love her. Only you, Ana." Christian explained, holding her tighter.

Anastasia sighed. "Say it, Christian. I need to hear it." She looked up at him, trying to find a way to ease the pain in her chest and get her sobbing to quit.

"I love you, Ana. Only you. It'll always be only you." Christian cupped her face and kissed her gently, muffling her sob.

She clung to him and pressed her face against his chest, wishing she could just melt into his body. She could never be close enough.

He held her against him. "Sawyer showed up after you left...he had to take a taxi. He and Taylor are taking her to Flynn and he's going to get her into a mental health program somewhere along the east coast. I told him I didn't want here anywhere near us. She's gone, Anastasia. She'll get the help she needs and we won't have to deal with her anymore."

Anastasia nodded against his chest and sniffled. "I love you." She said, her words muffling against his t-shirt.

Christian smiled. "You are one strong woman, Anastasia. I should have never doubted you when you said you could take care of yourself. When I heard the gunshot on our way down, while I was listening on the phone...I died a thousand deaths wondering if she killed you...but then the elevators opened and I saw that you had her in a submissive hold and I don't think I have ever been prouder of anyone. I don't know how you did it...but you truly are one of the strongest women I've ever met...it's incredible."

She snorted. "I doubt that. I can't even control my emotions...I'm a wreck...seeing you with her...thinking I had lost you...thinking that we were over..." She shook her head and pushed herself farther into his chest, crying harder.

"Sh...sh...it's okay. You have nothing to worry about. I won't leave you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Ana." Christian said, trying to soothe her crying.

She nodded. "Me too."

"I need to love you, baby. Let me love you." Christian asked.

"A bath first." She mentioned, wanting to wash any remnants of the other girl off of them both.

"Will you wash me?" Christian asked, making her gasp.

"Really? Are you...are you sure?" Anastasia was shocked.

He nodded. "I'll start the bath. Don't move. I want to undress you."

Anastasia slipped off her heels and waited patiently while Christian ran their bath. He toed off his shoes and discarded his socks while he kept checking the water temperature. Finally, he turned around and gave her a small smile, holding out his hand. She made the six steps over to him, happy to oblige the nonverbal request.

Christian cupped her face and kissed her softly. She smiled up at him and he released her face to unbutton her shirt. He kept his warm gray eyes on her blue ones as he worked. Anastasia could see the love in them and it almost caused her to tear up again.

After discarding the shirt, he lifted his hand and, using his index finger, motioned for her to turn around. She turned and he pulled the hair tie out of her hair, braiding it and tying the end. He placed it over her right shoulder, leaving a line of kisses on her neck and left shoulder while he unsnapped her bra and unzipped her skirt.

She smiled at the peaceful quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the water filling the large bath tub. She loved that no words were needed. She didn't want to talk. She just wanted to enjoy being with him.

She felt the skirt pool around her feet and he kneeled, tugging her panties down and giving her a kiss on her backside. He stood and she saw him offer his right hand from behind her. Taking it, she stepped out of her remaining garments and he turned her around, placing her hand at the hem of his shirt.

Getting the message, she used both of her hands to raise his t-shirt, raising up on her toes to try and remove the garment. Christian bent forward slightly and raised his arms to help her. When the offending garment was finally on the floor, she gave him an amused smile and he returned it with his boyish grin.

Anastasia worked on his pants next, unbuckling his belt and popping open his button before slowly lowering the zipper. She cocked an eyebrow at him and bit her lip, the memory of the other day coming to mind. He laughed silently and shook his head, his eyes lighting up playfully.

She slipped her thumbs into the waistband of his boxer briefs, pulling them and his pants down his legs, crouching as she went. When they were down to his ankles, she slid her hands back up his legs and to his thighs, rubbing slightly. Her hands continued to wander to the back of his thighs and to his buttocks, squeezing.

Christian let out a puff of air and she smiled up at him, seeing his dick start to harden. She stood up and he slipped out of his pants, kicking them to the side. He held out his hand and helped her into the bath before turning off the tap. She sat down in the middle and waited for him to join her.

He climbed in behind her and pulled her into his lap; leaning up against him, she sighed. He grabbed the white wash cloth that was sitting against the side of the tub and wet it, squeezing some body wash onto it.

He began to gently wash her shoulders and she sat up, bending over slightly, so he could scrub her back. As he worked down her back, she kept sighing; she loved having her back scrubbed. She had a wooden back scrubber when she lived alone, but having Christian do it was much more satisfying.

When he finished, she leaned back again and he started washing the front, moving in small circles. He kissed the patch of skin behind her ear and she shivered. She turned her head to look at him and he kissed her softly.

They continued to kiss, the kiss soft and unrushed while he worked down the front of her. When he reached her navel, he used his feet to spread her legs and slipped his hand between them, causing her to gasp against his mouth.

He grinned against her lips and continued to rub, giving her one last kiss before pulling away and gazing at her. She gazed back at him with hooded eyes and he nuzzled her ear. He released the washrag and continued rubbing slow circles around her clit with his fingers.

"Oh, Christian…" She whispered, sighing and letting her head fall back against his shoulder while her eyes fluttered closed.

He hummed quietly. "What baby? Tell me…does that feel good?" He whispered into her ear, moving his fingers a bit faster.

She nodded and her breathing increased. "Yes, Christian…so good." She hid her eyes in the crook of his neck. "Please don't stop." She whispered back.

"I won't, beautiful. You deserve this." He answered.

"Please, Christian…faster…" She begged, quietly.

"Patience, Ana. Let it build, baby." He pressed a little firmer as he played and she moaned quietly, bending her legs and letting them drop open more.

He hummed at the action. "That's right, Ana. Open yourself to me. You're all mine."

"Oh…yes, Christian…all yours." She agreed, panting. "Oh, I'm so close…"

"Let it happen, baby. Go on." He commanded, tapping repeatedly on her clit and then pressing down on it.

She moaned, and her body bowed, her orgasm washing over her. "Oh, Christian!" Her head rolled on his shoulder as she came.

"That's right, baby. Only my name." He kissed her temple while she tried catching her breath. "You are so beautiful, Ana."

She took a deep, cleansing breath and opened her eyes.

"Think you've recuperated enough to wash me?" He asked.

She sat up quickly and turned to straddle his legs, eager to wash her Adonis. He handed her the washrag and took a shaky breath.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Anastasia asked, uncertain.

He nodded. "Yes. I want you to do this. I want you to know that you are special and that you are the only one allowed to touch me like this."

Her heart swelled and her eyes welled. He was so lovely…and he was hers.

"Hey…no more tears…" Christian mentioned, wiping a tear that had escaped.

She sniffled and nodded. She grabbed his body wash and lathered up the washrag, taking a deep breath and holding it out before she touched him.

"Shoulders first?" She asked and got a nod from Christian. "Then arms." She added, so he knew she wouldn't jump to his chest.

She placed the washrag on his shoulder and slowly worked across, feeling him tense below the washrag. She worked down both of his arms and then looked at him, holding the washrag up again.

"You sure?"

He nodded.

"Just the front?"

"Just the front." He agreed and she nodded.

She placed the washrag under his adam's apple and slid it down to his chest. She worked in circular patterns, trying to hurry, hearing his breathing become ragged and seeing his jaw and chest muscles clench.

He grabbed her wrist suddenly and she stopped. "Easy…slow…" He moved her hand in slow circular motions, showing her. She moved her hand along with his and he released her hand, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the tile. She watched him closely while she worked, making sure he wasn't in pain. When she reached his hips, he grabbed her wrist again.

"I need you." He told her. "In bed. Not here." He added.

She smiled and nodded. They both stood and he helped her step out onto the rug, stepping out right after her.

"Stay." He ordered and grabbed two towels out of the cabinet across the room. He wrapped one around his waist and held out another one for her.

"I'm going to dry you."

She nodded her understanding.

He used the big, white, fluffy towel to dry her off, starting at her shoulders and working down. Once he was finished, he left the towel on the floor and scooped her up, carrying her into the bedroom and depositing her onto the bed.

Anastasia watched as he used his own towel to dry himself off before climbing in after her.

Christian leaned against her and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I want to take my time and savor you today, Ana. I want this slow." He explained.

She nodded her agreement. "Me too. I just want to be close to you. I need you."

He smiled down at her and kissed her, swiping his tongue over her bottom lip, requesting to deepen it. Anastasia was only happy to oblige.

Not breaking the kiss, Christian moved and laid on top of her, grabbing the back of her knee and wrapping her right leg around his waist. Her other knee automatically came up to cradle his side. He pressed into her slowly and she moaned into his mouth at the feeling of him filling her.

He set a slow pace and they continued to kiss, exploring each others body's using their hands.

"Touch my back, Anastasia." Christian requested, keeping his slow pace.

Her eyes widened, but she did as he asked and ran her hands down his back. His whole body shivered at the contact and she pulled away.

"Again." He demanded, looking into her eyes.

She bit her lip and repeated the action. When she was just above the small of his back he hissed and squeezed his eyes shut. "Enough!"

She immediately let go and he relaxed, giving her a kiss and a reassuring smile.

"Wrap your other leg around me, baby. I want to feel those legs." He told her. She quickly did so and moaned as he slipped in deeper.

They kept eye contact as they continued, their eyes hooded. The longer they went, the better it felt and Anastasia had to force her eyes from rolling back into her head.

"I feel you, Ana." He said quietly. He tilted his hips, hitting her from a different angle and she moaned loudly, her eyes rolling as her orgasm washed over her. "Oh, wow! Oh Christian!"

"Squeeze tight, baby…Oh, Ana!" She did as he requested, before he even finished his sentence and sent him over the edge with her.

After catching his breath, he rolled off of her and she curled up to him, both of them falling asleep soon after.

XxXxXx

Anastasia awoke and stretched a couple hours later. She turned her head to find Christian, propped up on his elbow, staring at her.

"I want to talk to you." Christian stated.

She winced. That didn't sound good. "Alright…" She rolled onto her side to face him.

"Why did you call Jose?"

Anastasia sighed. "He's my oldest friend. I just wanted to."

"I heard you say you needed to hear his voice. That bothers me." Christian frowned.

"It shouldn't. It just sounds like home. It comforts me." Anastasia explained.

Christian's jaw clenched. "I don't like that. This is your home. You shouldn't be missing any man's voice. You're mine."

She shook her head and sighed. "This is my home now, but it's not where I grew up. It isn't like that with him. I don't miss it because I want him in that way…I miss it like I do my dad's. It just reminds me of good times…of safety and comfort."

Christian snorted. "Yea…good times…"

"Don't! Don't be like that! I love you and only you. You have nothing to worry about." Anastasia urged.

"You asked him to promise something…what was it?"

"Christian…" She sighed. "I don't think…you're just going to take it wrong."

"Tell me."

Anastasia chewed her lip. "He promised he'd make it better…or try to."

Christian's face went pale and his eyes went cold.

"See! I knew you'd take it wrong! He didn't mean it like that!"

"He wants you, Ana. He loves you."

She shook her head. "No, he doesn't. Not like that. He's just my friend. He was trying to make me feel better."

"I don't want you two being alone together." Christian told her. "Actually, I don't want you to see him at all, but realizing I have had absolutely no control since you've come into my life, I know you won't adhere to that."

She nodded. "You're right. I won't. He's too important to just push to the side. He knows me better than anyone! I'm not willing to throw our friendship away."

Christian's jaw clenched along with his fists. "This is really hard for me, Ana. For us to be okay, I need to know you won't be alone with him."

Anastasia let out a frustrated cry. "Fine! I promise I won't be alone with him! Happy?"

Christian sighed and visibly relaxed. "Relatively."

She shook her head. "I really need to call him back."

"Why?"

"Because I promised, and he'll be worried if I don't."

"Fine. You can call him now. Right here." Christian turned and grabbed her cell off his nightstand, handing it to her.

She glared at him and hit the call button.

"Ana! Are you alright? What's happening? It's been hours!" José sounded completely panicked.

"Relax, I'm okay. Everything is fine now."

"What did that SOB do to you? You need to come home so we can talk about this." José urged.

"No, he didn't do anything…it was just a misunderstanding. We caught the person who tore up my house and everything is fine now."

"Why haven't you called back sooner?"

Anastasia blushed and looked over at Christian who was watching her curiously.

"Um…well…you see…we talked…and then we sort of…made up and then fell asleep." Anastasia bit her lip and Christian looked pleased.

"Ew. Ana…are you sure you're alright? You sounded like the world was ending just a few hours ago."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"I don't like this Ana. He has some type of hold over you." José admitted.

She sighed. He was right. "I love him, José."

"That doesn't make him good for you."

"No, he's fine. Like I said, it was just a misunderstanding. I overreacted. I promise everything is good."

The line was quiet. "José?"

"…Whatever you say, Ana. Listen…I've got to go."

"Oh…alri-" The phone went dead. She pulled it away from her ear and frowned at it. "He hung up on me."

Christian took her phone and set it to the side. "Come on, baby. Don't worry about it. Let's eat dinner. You'll feel better after some food."

She nodded, but she was still upset that José had hung up like that.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Ana allows herself to relax and have fun exploring her sexuality. Also, there were a few requests to show more of Ana and Jose, so I extended their part in chapter 7 if you are interested. You aren't missing anything, really if you choose not to.**

 **ATTN: THE LAST CHAPTER DID NOT LOAD CORRECTLY, SO IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE LEILA ENCOUNTER GO BACK ONE CHAPTER AND READ.**

Anastasia woke up the next morning after yet another Leila and Christian nightmare. Her mind kept playing their interaction over and over again, adding it's own little twist on things and making them say and do certain things. Anastasia was emotionally and physically exhausted. Christian was already up and about; she could hear him and Taylor speaking in the other room. But she couldn't force herself out of bed just yet. It still bothered her that he was so affectionate with one of his ex's. Her chest hurt at thought of it, and yet her brain wouldn't let her forget it.

The door that was open a crack, opened fully and she saw Christian come through.

"Anastasia? You aren't up, yet? What's wrong? Are you sick?" Christian sat on the side of the bed and felt her forehead.

She shook her head. "No, just had a bad night."

He frowned. "Nightmares?"

She nodded.

"About..."

She nodded again.

"Oh, baby...I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" He asked, rubbing her stomach.

"Why were you so affectionate with her? I don't understand. She wanted to kill me...and then you love on her for it." Anastasia asked, trying not to cry.

He sighed. "I didn't plan on it, Anastasia. She was so...empty. I was planning on getting her to stand up and having Taylor take her...but then I saw all the marks on her arms and I felt personally responsible. When she said that she didn't want to live anymore...it killed me. It's my fault that my mother killed herself...and I couldn't bear to be the cause of another suicide. She was sick, Ana...She needed help."

Anastasia sat up and let her tears run freely. "Christian! You are not the reason why your mother died! She chose to! There were many other factors that played into it. You were probably the only reason why she waited so long. You probably kept her alive longer. You can't blame yourself for Leila, either. You said she lost her fiancé...that wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for other people's decisions. You are anything, but to blame."

Christian frowned and turned his head the opposite direction. "I would never have forgiven myself if she would have killed herself after I disconnected that last phone call. I was angry and said things I shouldn't. I didn't help her situation at all. After I saw all the marks...I saw just how miserable she was...she did that to _herself_! I just didn't want her to be in so much pain anymore. I didn't mean to upset you...make you think that I cared for her in a way other than a person cares for another person. Looking back now, I can see how it must have looked. I am so sorry that I hurt you. That was never my intention."

Anastasia chewed her lip. "I guess I should get up and get ready for work now. I'll be late if I don't."

"Are you sure you want to go?" Christian asked. "You know you don't have to."

She laughed. "Of course I have to. It's work. I will not skive off just because I'm shacking up with the owner."

A small grin appeared on Christian's face and he looked at her. "Shacking up, eh?" He asked, amused.

"Would you rather I say living in sin?" She giggled.

He leaned into her,giving her a kiss. "That body _is_ positively sinful..." He said, pulling the duvet off of her naked body and leaning down to kiss across her clavicle.

"You're horny!"

"You're naked."

"Well spotted...I've been that way all night, Mr. Grey."

He grinned against her skin. "I'm well aware, Miss Steele. I was the one who disrobed you." His lips wandered to her pulse on her neck and bit down.

"Christian..." She gave a last ditch effort to get up, but she knew she was already done for.

"Hmm?" He asked against her neck and climbed onto his knees and pushed her back down onto her pillow using his body. He started nibbling on her ear lobe and she purred and pressed her body against his. "That's my girl." He whispered into her ear.

XxXxXx

"Baby...I want to see what swimsuit you're going to wear." Christian told her while they were deciding what to take to his parents the next morning. Every year, they had a fourth of July party on the holiday weekend; everyone would start out with brunch, head to the pool for what Grace would call fun in the sun even though overcast or rain were always more likely...and then after, they'd all get dressed up and have dinner and dancing in a tent in the back. Christian hadn't been present for the holiday since he was twenty one and Anastasia was actually quite excited to get him to join in.

Anastasia pulled out her swimsuit and showed him.

"Put it on."

She laughed. "You want me to model it for you?"

He grinned and nodded his head vigorously. "And maybe after that you can model something else for me..." He wiggled his eyebrows and she giggled.

"If you're a good boy, I will. I might even let you pick."

He groaned and licked his lips.

Anastasia turned him around and smacked his butt. "Go on. I'll be out in a minute."

He laughed. "Yes, ma'am!"

Anastasia decided to have some fun with him since he already knew which one she picked. She tossed it to the side and grabbed one of the thong sets he picked for his private collection and put it on. It was a gunmetal gray color with a triangle top that tied, the swatches of fabric barely covering her assets. The bottoms were peek-a-boo, cheeky bottoms with Swarovski crystal accents. She rolled her eyes at the thought. She pulled out her strappy, dark gray sparkle stiletto's with a metal heel and slipped them on. Her French manicured toes peeped out of the top and she grinned. She was glad she took the time to get a mani-pedi after work.

She flipped her head over and ran her hands over her scalp, trying to get some volume to her hair. Once she decided she looked presentable, she opened the door slowly and sauntered out, hoping that she looked sexier than she felt. She felt like a complete idiot at this point, but it was too late.

She found Christian sitting in the armchair by the window and continued towards him slowly. His eyes widened and he licked his lips. His arm that was holding his head up dropped and pulled at the material over his crotch, trying to relieve the tightness in his pants.

She grinned. "Is this appropriate enough?" She asked, turning and stopping, looking over her shoulder so he could get the view of her backside.

"Holy fuck." He licked his lips again and held out his hand. "Come sit on my lap, Anastasia."

She smirked and did as he asked, wiggling on purpose as she settled in. He groaned and ran his hand from her thigh down to her ankle.

"I have a tie that would go perfect with those heels, Miss Steele."

She ran her hand down the buttons on his chest. "Are you going to tie me up, Mr. Grey, or blindfold me?"

He exhaled sharply and his eyes turned molten gray.

She nuzzled his ear. "How about both?" She whispered.

The next thing she knew she was being thrown onto the bed with Christian dropping on top of her.

He kissed her roughly. "Stay."

She watched him get up and disappear into their closet and she tried to calm her heartbeat. He reappeared not a minute later with two of his ties. She found herself wriggling on the bed.

"Still." He told her, picking her up and dropping her back down diagonally on the bed so that her head was close to her nightstand and her feet were lying at the foot of his side of the bed.

He kissed her again. "Are you sure you're ready?"

She grinned and brought her hands up, showing him her wrists. His tongue came out to wet his bottom lip and he grabbed one of the ties. He used the thicker end of the tie on her wrists, binding them together and then pulling on it, making sure it was secure.

He grabbed the other end of the tie and stood up, pulling on it and forcing her hands over her head. She craned her neck to see what he was doing. He bent over and tied the other end to something between the mattress and the nightstand. She could only guess that it was the metal frame. He pulled on it again, making sure that it was secure before coming back to sit on the bed.

"Close your eyes and lift your head."

She did as he asked and felt the silk of the second tie against the top of her cheeks. It felt incredible against her skin and she let out a sigh.

"Lie back."

She relaxed her head back against the mattress and bit her bottom lip.

"Still with me, Ana?" Christian asked, making sure she was sure.

"Oh yes." She breathed out.

She felt the weight of his body leave the bed and she tried to listen hard for his location. Suddenly his hands were on her ankles and he yanked her down the bed, forcing her arms to stretch straight above her head, the slack on the tie now gone.

She gasped and then moaned, wriggling on the bed.

"Still, baby." He reminded her.

"Yes, sir." She forced herself to still, even though her core was now throbbing.

"You are so breathtaking, Anastasia. You're about to unman me."

She rolled her head to the side and whimpered.

His hand slid behind her neck and cupped it, raising her head just enough to untie her bikini. The hand snaked it's way between her and the bed and her back bowed so he could pull on the second tie. Her nipples automatically hardened when the cold air hit them and she heard him groan.

Her whole body felt like it was on fire. "May I move, sir?" She asked sweetly, hoping that, by playing his game, she could find some relief for her throbbing center.

"No, Anastasia. You may not." He answered, his voice sounding like it was by her feet.

She whimpered and squeezed her thighs together.

"Uh uh, Anastasia." Christian grabbed her ankles and pulled them apart slightly. "Don't make me use my spreader bar."

She gasped and felt her center clench. "Oh, my."

She felt the side of her bikini bottoms being pulled, but she couldn't feel his fingers. Soon the other side was being tugged and then the scrap fell to the bed, her core being revealed to him.

His warm hands touched the inside of her thighs, pushing them apart. His hands slid up and his thumbs parted her lips, his mouth blowing lightly against her exposed clit.

She whimpered and tried to squeeze her legs shut, but his forearms held them open. He blew again and she felt her core quiver.

"That's right, baby. I want you dripping."

He ran his hands down her thighs and to her calves before stopping at her ankles. "I like these." He said, referring to her shoes. "I think we'll keep these on." He held the back of her heel and, with two fingers, he rubbed the small area between the inside of her ankle and Achilles tendon, using slight pressure as he rubbed in a circular motion.

"Fuck!" Anastasia cried out, feeling the pleasure climb through her inner leg and right into her core. She felt her toes trying to curl in her shoes.

"Oh, please…Christian, please!" She didn't know what she was begging for. She just needed some sort of relief.

She felt his lips on the inside of her ankle before he set it down and pushed her legs farther apart. She felt him climb up between her legs and she moaned when she felt his naked thigh against her own. The bed dipped slightly by each shoulder and his teeth bit down on the pulse of her neck, making her cry out. He sucked hard on it before continuing down her neck.

"I want to see you." She whined.

"I know, baby." He answered against her clavicle and went on nibbling down her chest, to her nipple, pulling it into his mouth.

She hissed and pushed her chest into him some more. Her head kept rolling from one side to the other while he worked on one and traveled across to finish on the other. She was so close to coming, her legs were shaking.

He released her nipple. "Do not come, Anastasia. Fight it." He sucked harder on her nipple and she whimpered.

"I can't…"

"Try." He reached up and rolled her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger while his mouth played with the other.

She felt her walls starting to flutter. "Christian! Christian, I can't!" Her floodgates broke and she cried out as her body spasmed.

"Ana…you came. I believe I told you not to."

She felt him move and then she was being flipped over. He spanked her once and she moaned. It felt good against her swollen center. "Again, Christian." She begged.

He spanked her other cheek. "Pull your knees up." He commanded. She immediately moved to do so even though it was hard to with her hands bound. He grabbed the heels of her stilettos and yanked them apart, forcing her thighs to spread and her ass to lower a bit.

"I am going to untie you. Reach back and grab your heels. Do not let go. If you do, I will bind your wrists to your ankles. Do you understand?" He asked running his palm up her spine.

She moaned. "Oh, yes sir. I understand."

He spanked her lightly. "Good girl."

She felt his bare chest pressing against her back and his erection pushing hard into her left buttock. It took everything in her not to wiggle her hips against him.

There was a tug on her wrists and suddenly she was free. She paused for a moment and he smacked her ass. "What did I say, Anastasia?"

She reached back and grabbed the back of her heels. The cool metal felt good in her warm hands. She felt his hands go to her hips.

"I'm going to fuck you now, Anastasia. Hold tight to those heels." She gripped them tighter, as requested.

She felt the head push slowly into her until he was completely seated inside of her. He paused just for a moment before he pulled out to his cusp and slammed back into her, making her scream.

He stilled. "Again?"

"Yes. Mmm...please, sir." She licked her lips and bit her lip.

He thrusted again and continued, both of them getting louder as he went on. Anastasia's legs were shaking and her arms were tired from holding onto her shoes, but it felt too good to ask him to stop. She was determined to see it through.

"Oh, Ana…you're so fucking wet, you're dripping down my cock. You're making my balls wet, baby. That's fucking incredible." Christian started moving faster and she squeezed tight around him, throwing herself into a mind shattering orgasm and she screamed his name into the mattress. Her knees automatically tried to straighten, but she forced herself to keep them under her body, knowing it'd disappoint him if she let go.

She felt him slam into her and still, his dick lengthening and then contracting as he spilled into her with a grunt. He relaxed his hips, slowly sliding out of her, and he fell to her side taking her with him and pulling off her blindfold.

She blinked rapidly, trying to get use to the light. Realizing how sore she was, she turned onto her back and stretched her whole body, feeling it crack and pop randomly. She relaxed her muscles, closed her eyes, and sighed.

"How do you feel, Anastasia?" Christian asked, taking her wrists and running his thumbs over them. The tie design was still imprinted on her wrists. He brought her wrists up one by one and kissed them.

"Good." She grinned. "Really good." She giggled.

A smile formed on Christian's face. "Good. After everything that happened…I thought that all of this was off the table. You surprised me, Ana. Very few people do."

She shrugged. "When you mentioned your tie…I decided to just go with it and not think too much into it."

"And?"

She smiled. " _And_ … I'm glad I did it. I like it when you're in control. It's incredibly sexy. I like you being the alpha." She rolled to her side and kissed him.

He growled and rolled them over, leaning over her while they kissed. "You are a true goddess, Anastasia. My soul-mate."

She reached up and cupped his face. "Soul-mate, huh?" She swallowed back tears.

A smile formed in his face. "My only."

Anastasia ran the pad of her index finger down his nose and traced his lips. "You know, your soul isn't all dark, Christian."

He grinned against her fingers. "Your light met my dark and brightened it. Just as you promised."

She giggled. "We'll find a perfect shade of gray."

His grin widened and laid down next to her on his side, pulled her against him again. He nuzzled against her nose and left his nose against hers, his forehead pressed to hers.

Their lips were only centimeters apart and she stretched hers out to kiss his, making him smile. She did it three more times in quick sequence and giggled when his lips met hers half way.

He shook his head slightly. "Oh, Ana. You make me feel like a lovesick teenager."

Her grin widened into a megawatt smile. "Isn't it wonderful?"

She leaned in the couple centimeters and blew a raspberry against his lips, making his face scrunch.

He jumped up and pinned her below him, holding her wrists above her head. She giggled and tried to wriggle away.

"No, you don't, silly girl. Now it's my turn."

He proceeded to cover her neck in raspberries, rubbing his stubble against her sensitive skin as he went, making her squeal and beg for mercy.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Part 1 of the Fourth of July at the Grey's.**

 **Thanks again to my lovely sanjanasandeep232 for dealing with my indecisive self while writing thia chapter!**

"Ana Baby…let me see."

Anastasia huffed and exited the closet in her third swimsuit of the morning. According to Christian, the first showed too much cheek and the second showed too much cleavage.

"Why are you so worried about this? You didn't seem to care on your birthday." She whined coming out and turning slowly so he could see. She was in her Fuzzi white lace bandeau one piece. It was strapless, but it had rouching on the front and covered her backside completely. She loved the suit.

"It's strapless…" He mentioned, ignoring her question.

She frowned and sat on his lap. "Oh, baby…please? I love it. I promise I'll be careful and you'll be right there."

He sighed. "You _do_ look good in lace…"

She grinned and hopped up. "Good! Then it's settled. I'll throw on a cover up and get my other things packed." She disappeared back into the closet and slipped on her Proenza Shouler belted cotton and silk sundress, grabbing her salmon colored sandals to match. Once she was dressed, she pulled out her navy blue and white Eliza J illusion yoke lace fit and flair dress and zipped it up in a garment bag. She grabbed a nude strapless bra and panty set and grabbed her Marchella Louboutin's. She grinned, happy to find a reason to wear the pointed-toed, sheer white and silver heels.

She headed out of the closet with her under things, shoes and garment bag. Hanging the bag on the back of the door next to Christian's, she dropped her things on the bed and proceeded to pack them in the black duffel that already contained Christian's things, her hair products and her makeup.

He eyed her shoes. "What dress did you pick?"

She grinned. "You'll just have to wait and find out. No peeking!"

There was a knock on the open door frame and Anastasia turned to see Taylor standing there.

"All ready, Mr. Grey?" Taylor asked.

"Almost, Taylor. Come with me to my office before you take our things out." Christian answered.

Anastasia furrowed her brow as they left. She found it quite odd.

To occupy her time, she went back into the bathroom and rechecked her hair, which was in a high bun. She used some of her hairspray to fix her flyaways and heard the men come back into the bedroom. She saw Christian popped up behind her in the mirror and noticed he had a megawatt smile on as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She kept her eyes on him through the mirror. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile that big. I didn't know you were capable…" She said, smiling.

He tickled her side, making her squeak. "Ha ha, baby. I'm happy. After last night and then getting to spend the whole day with you and my family…it's a great weekend."

She could practically feel the love and happiness radiating off of him. She turned toward him. "Oh, Christian…I love you so much." She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted up on her toes to kiss him. "I am the luckiest girl."

XxXxXx

"Mr. Grey…where would you like your things?" Taylor asked, carrying in their two garment bags and the duffel.

"My bedroom will do." Christian answered.

Taylor nodded and headed towards the stairs.

Christian entwined their fingers and headed toward the back, where quite a few people were standing on the patio.

"Wait…are those Kate's patents?" Anastasia asked, grinning. "Is something going to happen today that they need to be present for?"

Christian laughed. "I don't think so, baby. My father knows the Kavanaghs. He asked them to come." He answered as he opened the door and let her through before following behind.

"Anastasia!"

Kate's brother, Ethan, was the first to spot them. He hurried over and squeezed her. She pat his back awkwardly, hoping he'd make it quick.

"Hi, Ethan…er…nice to see you." Anastasia said, trying to be polite.

"Ethan! Get your grubby hands off Anastasia!" Kate yelled, pulling him away.

He chuckled. "They aren't that dirty, Katie."

Kate's parents came over and said their hello's.

Christian leaned down to her ear while she was talking to Mrs. Kavanagh. "Turn around."

She spun and saw someone coming through the glass French door.

"Daddy!" She yelled and ran to him, clinging to his waist and burying her head in his chest.

He chuckled. "Hi, Annie."

It felt like something in her broke and she began to sob into his chest.

"Oh, Annie! What's wrong?" Ray squeezed her.

She turned her head to the side and sniffled. "I just missed you. I feel like it's been ages."

Ray chuckled and rubbed her back. "Well, I'm here now. All weekend."

She pulled back to look at him and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "Really? How'd you get here?"

He looked behind her and she turned to look at Christian.

"That's a nice jet you got there, Christian… a Gulf Stream, is it?" Ray asked.

Christian grinned and nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Your mother is flying Southwest…she'll be here in a few hours." Ray mentioned and Anastasia groaned.

"She's coming, too?"

"Anastasia Rose! That is your mother!" Ray admonished and she winced.

"I know…it's just…you know how big of deal she makes this holiday. I don't want to concentrate on that today." Anastasia explained.

"You know this holiday means a lot to her. I'll try to keep her reigned in. Don't worry about it now...we have another surprise for you." Ray told her.

Anastasia looked back at Christian and saw that he looked annoyed and angry. She heard the door open and a handsome Latino wandered out.

Anastasia gasped. "José?!" She squealed and pulled him in for a hug. "Does this mean you aren't angry with me, anymore?" She asked, letting go.

"Oh, Ana…"José shook his head. "I could never stay angry with you. You're my best friend. I was just worried about you."

Anastasia smiled. "I'm glad you're here!" She felt a hand on the small of her back and turned her head to smile up at Christian. "Would you excuse us for a moment, José? I need to thank my boyfriend."

José nodded. "I'm going to go say hi to Ethan."

Anastasia turned and wrapped her arms around Christian's waist, smiling up at him. "You did this? Baby…you are incredible! Mmm….the things I'm going to let you do to me…" She said quietly, leaning into him.

Christian's eyes widened and he licked his lips. "Like what, baby?"

Anastasia reached down and squeezed his butt. "Hmm…that spreader bar sounded kind of fun…" A puff of air left his mouth and he groaned. "With toys though…hmm… I'm afraid I'm pretty innocent when it comes to those...you'll have to teach me."

He licked his lips and saw his eyes darken. His erection pushed against her navel.

"Oh, Miss Steele…I will…and it's going to be so much fun teaching you." He leaned down and kissed her. "I want all of your innocence, Ana." He whispered in her ear.

XxXxXx

"Ana! Come swim with us!" Kate called, pulling off her cover-up, revealing her peach bikini. Christian went inside to speak to his father after brunch and Anastasia was trying to wait until he got back.

Anastasia watched as Elliot snuck up behind Kate and grabbed her, making her scream, and jumped into to the pool with her.

"Guess they've hit it off?" José asked, from beside her.

Anastasia nodded. "Seems to be that way."

"Come on! Get in." José urged, pulling off his shirt and stepping closer to the pool.

Anastasia stayed where she was, not wanting to upset Christian.

José turned around put a hand on his hip. "Anastasia! Are you coming or not?"

She shrugged and looked back at the house.

"Don't make me come get you." José warned.

Anastasia cracked a smile and he lunged. She screamed and ran for it. She turned towards him and put her hands out, seeing him start to stalk her, his knees bent, his hands out in front of him and a large smile on his face.

"José…don't!" Anastasia warned.

He took a step forward and she stepped back, giggling. "I said don't."

"You're getting in the pool." José answered.

"I will!"

"Now."

"Not yet!"

"Wrong answer!" He lunged and grabbed for her waist, making her squeal.

"Let me go!" Anastasia struggled against him.

José laughed and dragged her towards the pool. "You're getting in, Ana!"

She squealed. "Don't! I still have my cover up on!"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Get your hands off of her!"

José's arms dropped. "Listen…we were just…"

Christian stepped forward into José's space, scowling at him.

"Christian…Christian, stop!" Anastasia pushed him away from José and stepped between them. "We were just playing around...please don't…"

"You're mine!"

She nodded. "I am! Please…he didn't mean anything by it. You're overreacting!"

"He shouldn't be touching you!"

"Oh, that's not possessive at all!" José called from over her shoulder.

"José! Shut up! Go get in the pool!"

"But, Ana…"

"Now!" She looked behind her and cocked her eyebrow.

When he stomped off she looked back to Christian.

"Baby, what's wrong? You're overreacting."

Christian frowned and pulled her to him. "My dad reamed me about Elena."

"Oh, Christian…I'm sorry."

"This was supposed to be our weekend! It was supposed to finally be our first carefree weekend since being together and he has to bring her up! Like I hadn't already been chastised enough by my mother! Then I come out to find you because I'm upset and I find another man's hands all over you!" Christian was getting louder.

"Sh…baby, I'm sorry. Your father shouldn't have chosen today to speak with you. Please don't be upset with José. He's never had to deal with me having a boyfriend before…he was just playing around. It was innocent." Anastasia tried to explain, but she saw that his jaw was clenched and he kept swallowing.

"I'm losing control of everything, Ana. This is why I chose to keep to myself and chose the lifestyle I did. I don't know how to deal with all this… I need control."

Anastasia's heart broke, seeing him look so broken. "Come on," she held out her hand, "take me to your room."

Christian's forehead creased.

"I want to soothe you. Today won't get better with you feeling like this."

He gave her a small smile and grabbed her hand, escorting her into the house and up the stairs.

Once they were in his room, she slipped off her cover-up and sat on the bed, sliding up to lay against the pillows. Christian stood there watching her.

"Well? Come here."

He gave her his boyish grin and climbed into bed, pulling her strapless top down. He lifted her up and wrapped his arms around her before settling against her and starting to suck.

She slipped her fingers into his hair and grazed her fingernails over his scalp. He closed his eyes and nuzzled his nose against the swell of her breast.

"Don't fall asleep, now." Anastasia teased lightly, making him chuckle against her.

It took almost ten minutes, but Christian finally released her and nuzzled into the valley between her breasts, sighing.

"Better?" She asked, playing with his hair.

He nodded against her.

XxXxXx

Anastasia and Christian headed down towards the pool and saw that Ethan and Mia were just getting in, too.

They watched as Ethan pulled off his t-shirt, making Mia giggle.

"You look so strong, Ethan…look at all those muscles!" Mia exclaimed, grabbing his bicep.

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother." She grabbed her own dress and pulled it over her head, slipping off her sandals.

"Oh, please, Mia! Mine are much better! Look at these abs!" Elliot told her, flexing.

"Lack there of, you mean!" Mia said, rolling her eyes. "What about the tan Latino? Come on, José! Show us what you got!"

Kate cheered. "Yea, José! Flex for us! Hey, Ana! Look at that man candy!"

José started to pose, making Kate and Mia catcall and clap. He turned to Anastasia and winked. Anastasia scowled at him, knowing he was doing it to get a rise out of Christian.

"Oh, fuck this." Christian murmured, yanking off his blue t-shirt.

Anastasia's eyes widened at his bold move. Guess his jealousy was stronger than his fear of being touched. A smile formed on her face.

"Mmm…now this is what I call man candy." Anastasia said, wrapping her arms around his waist. She watched his scowl soften and a small smile form on his lips.

Kate was standing in the water with both hands up, holding out ten fingers. "Christian gets a ten!"

Elliot scoffed and pretended to be offended. "He might have the look, but he's probably boring as hell in bed."

Anastasia blushed and Kate gave her a wicked grin. "Come on, Ana…give us the dirty details! How is Christian Grey in bed?"

Anastasia bit her lip and caught Christian's eye, who looked amused. She quickly looked back down at his chest and blushed deeper. The NDA came to mind and she suddenly felt calmer. She couldn't be peer pressured into anything. She was legally bound.

"Can't tell you." Anastasia said simply, smiling up at Kate.

"Why?" Kate asked.

"My hands are tied." Anastasia shrugged, an amused grin on her face.

Christian leaned down toward her ear. "Interesting choice of words, Miss Steele."

"Does sir approve?" She whispered back, watching his eyes darken.

"Anastasia Rose! How dare you get a boyfriend and not call you own mother!"

Anastasia rolled her eyes and turned toward her mother, who was hurrying over. "Hi, Mom."

"Oh, Ana! I've missed you!" Carla squeezed Anastasia to her. "You look well, Anastasia! Dating really agrees with you!" Her mother held her out at arms length and looked her up and down.

"Mom! Stop." Anastasia blushed.

Carla looked up at Christian. "Oh! And who is this?"

"This is my boyfriend, Christian Grey. Christian…this is my mother, Carla Wilks Adams."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Adams. I can see where Anastasia gets her beauty." Christian offered his hand and gave her a charming smile.

Carla giggled. "Oh, my…well, thank you Christian. Please call me Carla." She answered, shaking his proffered hand.

Carla turned to Anastasia. "My, my Ana…you sure picked a good one." Carla reached up to touch Christian's arm and Anastasia grabbed her hand.

"Mother! Do not grope my boyfriend!" Anastasia admonished, letting go of her hand. Anastasia knew it looked like she was being possessive, but she didn't want Christian to have a reason to put his shirt back on.

Carla tutted and rolled her eyes. "I've missed that smart mouth. You've always been so strong-willed." Carla's lip turned into a frown and she started to get teary eyed. "Oh, Ana! You realize that in two days…"

"Mom…don't do this…" Anastasia urged. "I don't want to dwell on that today…lets just have a good day." Carla clung to Anastasia and sniffled.

Anastasia caught Ray's eye and he made his way over from his spot where he was talking to Mr. Kavanagh and grabbed Carla's shoulders.

"Come on, now Carla. Why don't you come talk to Grace for a bit. She's been dying to meet you properly…" He pulled Carla off of Anastasia and Anastasia gave him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks Dad."

"What is so important about the fourth of July, Ana?" Christian asked, curious.

Anastasia shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Let's just enjoy the pool."

XxXxXx

Christian laid back on a lounger with his arms behind his head and shared it with Anastasia, who laid next to him on her stomach, her knees bent at a ninety-degree angle with her ankles crossed while they dried off from the pool.

"Are you enjoying your holiday weekend so far, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked.

Christian smiled. "I am, Miss Steele. How about you?"

"It's been wonderful. Thank you for bringing my family and José up. I'm so happy to see my dad."

Christian eyed her. "You cried when you saw him. Is there something a matter that you aren't saying?"

She laughed lightly. "Not really. Just a lot has happened since I last saw him and then working with Dr. Flynn has had me emotional. Seeing my daddy…I just had a sudden burst of emotion. I was relieved to see him."

Christian gave her a small smile. "Daddy's girl." He teased lightly.

She laughed and nodded. "If you looked that phrase up in google, my picture would be beside the definition."

"I hope our children are as crazy about me as you are about Ray." Christian noted.

Anastasia mouth went slack. " _Children?_ You want children…with me?"

Christian gave her an amused smile. "Yes, Anastasia. Someday. Not anytime soon. I'm too selfish to share you, now. But one day I'd love to see you carry my children."

Anastasia's heart soared. "Oh, Christian…" She reached up and caressed his cheek with her knuckles.

"I want our children to have a childhood that we never had. One where they are safe and secure and loved." He added.

Anastasia nodded. "I want that, too."

There was a clap of thunder, scaring everyone, making Mia scream and everyone else laugh.

"Guess we should head in." Christian mentioned and Anastasia agreed. They got up and grabbed their clothes.

They were almost to the patio when José popped up next to Anastasia. "Hey…can I talk to you for a minute?"

Anastasia nodded. "Sure…Christian, I'll be right in." She told him, handing him her cover-up and sandals.

He scowled and his jaw clenched, but he went ahead of them and disappeared inside.

"First, I wanted to apologize for making your boyfriend so mad…even though it's fun on my end, I'm sure it's no fun for you. I honestly didn't mean to when I chased you around…I didn't think about it being a problem." José's brows knitted together and he shrugged.

Anastasia shook her head. "Don't worry about it. He was already angry when he came out. He overreacted." There was another clap of thunder, making Anastasia jump. "Was there something else you wanted to tell me before we get struck by lightning?" She asked, smiling.

"Yea…I wanted to tell you I got a job offer."

Anastasia grinned. "Oh, José! That's great! Where?"

He frowned. "That's the not so great part…it's in Boston."

Anastasia's heart dropped. "Boston? As in Massachusetts?"

José nodded, frowning. "It's something I can't pass up."

Anastasia's eyes filled with tears and she hugged him close. "That's just…that's great. Congratulations!" She told him, trying to be supportive.

When she pulled away, José eyed her. "You don't look very happy."

She shook her head and wiped her tears. "A part of me wants to be selfish and keep you close, José. I am happy for you though. We can always talk on the phone."

José grinned. "You mean you can always get drunk and send me ridiculous Dumbledore memes at random hours of the night."

Anastasia started giggling and it caused José to start laughing and before long they were both holding their stomachs in fits of laughter. Thunder rumbled again and then it started to pour, making Anastasia squeal as the cold rain hit her skin. José laughed and grabbed her hand hurrying towards the door with Anastasia in tow, giggling behind him.

Once they were inside the door, Anastasia shivered from the cold. José reached up and wiped the water off her forehead. "Let's get you a towel."

Anastasia nodded, holding her arms against her.

"No need. I've already got one." Christian mentioned coolly, wrapping it around her from behind. She wiped her face off with it and turned to lean up and kiss him.

"Thank you, baby." She grinned up at Christian.

"Anything for _my_ girl." Christian answered, eyeing José.

Christian put an arm around Anastasia and steered her toward the stairs. "Let's get you in the shower and warmed up. We need to get ready for dinner. Cocktail hour will start soon."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: It is so interesting to see all of your feedback about the story. Some of you think Ana isn't standing her ground enough, while others think she is being too harsh about José. Some think Christian is taking over and being too controlling...while others think he needs to step it up. It's quite fascinating seeing all the different opinions and personalities of all my readers. I love it! It gives me a perspective I would have never had before. Keep it up!**

"You are mine, Anastasia." Christian growled as he threw her up against the door in his room, pinning her to it with his body.

Anastasia gasped and nodded quickly. "Yes. Yours." She answered breathily, half terrified and half aroused. He looked angry.

Christian tore the towel away from her body and pulled her suit down quickly, grabbing her behind and lifting her, pinning her again, to the door. The suit fell to the floor in a heap and she watched him with wide eyes.

"I don't give a shit who you run around in the fucking rain with. This is my body, Anastasia." Christian growled into her ear.

Her breathing doubled. "Yes, sir. Yours."

"I control your pleasure, Anastasia. Only me. Your pleasure is mine." His voice reverberated down her ear canal, making her whole body shiver. He tossed her up, startling her, the crooks of his arms hooking under her thighs and forcing her legs apart. Before she could comprehend what had happened, he tossed her again and her thighs landed on his shoulders and he pressed her against the door, his hands back on her ass.

"This is mine." He claimed, staring at her core before pushing her ass up with his hands and burying his face between her legs.

She moaned loudly and her hands gripped his hair. "Yes, Christian. Oh...wow!" Her head hit the back of the door and her eyes rolled back into her head. "So...close. Don't stop!" She panted, gripping his hair tighter.

He did stop and she whimpered. He let her slide down his body until her feet hit the floor. She had her eyes closed and she kept panting as he pressed his body against hers. She looked up at him and saw that wild look in his eye.

"Feel that, baby? You need me. No one can make you feel the way I do. I control your pleasure. You only orgasm when I want you to." Christian said in a low voice.

She nodded. "I need you. Please...please let me come." She begged, holding onto his shoulders.

"Should I let you come? Should I come and mark what's mine?" Christian asked, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.

She nodded. "Please. Oh, Christian please!"

"You want me to dominate you, Anastasia? You like being my possession." He reached between her legs and touched her upper thigh right below her core. "See this, Anastasia? You're dripping. You know you're mine. You like when I'm aggressive."

She nodded. "Yes."

Christian reached down and picked her back up with one arm, the other pulling his dick out of his shorts. He slammed her back into the door, slamming into her at the same time, making her cry out.

"You are only coming because I'm allowing you to. I need to mark you. You need to know you're mine." Christian said, through clenched teeth as he pounded into her.

She moaned loudly as his manicured fingernails bit into her ass. "Christian!"

"Not yet!" He growled. "You'll come when I say."

Anastasia whimpered. "Yes, sir."

He groaned at her answer and she felt his dick jerk inside of her.

"Come." He commanded, gripping her ass tighter and she relaxed the muscles in her core, feeling her walls start to flutter. "Yes, Anastasia. Milk my dick, baby." She cried out and gripped as hard as she could, feeling her walls spasming around him. Her whole body shook against the door and she screamed. "Christian! Oh, yes!" She wrapped her legs around him and held him as tightly as she could, even though her legs were shaking.

He quickened his pace. "Mine, Ana!" He hissed and stilled inside of her, flexing as deep as he could.

After they caught their breath, he slowly released her from the door and her feet hit the floor. He reached down between her legs and slipped two fingers into her, dragging them back out and rubbing them against the insides of her folds. "Do not wash between your legs, Anastasia. I've marked what's mine. I want him to be able to smell me on you if he gets too close."

Anastasia's eyes widened. A part of her felt like she should be disgusted by this, but it just turned her on more. She licked her lips and nodded. "Yes, sir."

He smirked down at her. "Good girl." He cupped her neck and kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless.

XxXxXx

Anastasia used Mia's bathroom to grab a shower and get ready. After her shower, she applied her makeup first then quickly dried her hair and used her flat iron to curl it, combing it out with her fingers and adding hairspray, leaving her hair in loose curls. She slipped on her nude colored under garments and then unzipped her garment bag, revealing her navy blue Eliza J dress. Her heart rate quickened and she grinned. She loved this dress and she was so excited to get to wear it. She hurried into it and checked herself out in the mirror.

The navy blue lace, floral pattern looked lovely against the white foundation behind it. The illusion mesh at the top was blue polka dot and laid against her clavicle perfectly. Around the bottom of the fit and flare, the polka dots appeared again, framing the floral design with an eyelash fringe. She felt incredible in it and hoped that Christian liked it as much as she did. She slipped on her Marchella Louboutin's and sprayed some of her perfume before packing everything back up and depositing it all back into Christian's bedroom. She took one last look at herself in his mirror before making her way downstairs.

She thought about the way Christian had dominated her earlier. It had surprised her, how turned on it made her. She didn't mind him dominating her in that way, as long as he left the punishment part out. She had never seen him so sexy and she found herself quickening her steps, wanting to be close to him again.

Anastasia looked over the banister and saw that more people had arrived. The sitting room was full of people. Her eyes searched for Christian and she found him speaking with Elliot close to the bar. Elliot smiled up at her and nudged Christian, who turned and looked up at her. His eyes widened and he smiled, making his way to the foot of the stairs and holding his hand out. She smiled down at him and made her way down, Christian's arm looping around her waist and pulling her close when her feet hit the wood floor.

"Anastasia...you're breathtaking. Wow." Christian took in her hair, her face, her dress. "You look so sweet in that dress." He groaned and pressed his forehead against hers. "I just want to take you home right now."

She smiled. Christian was in a dark gray suit, dressed more formal than she noticed his brother was. "You look incredible, Christian. I like your tie..." She added, slipping her fingers down it. It was the same gray tie he used to tie her up with the night before. She pulled on it lightly, bringing his lips down to hers and kissing him lightly.

"How do you feel, Anastasia?" Christian asked quietly.

She looked up at him, giving him a small smile. "Incredible."

Christian looked relieved. "I didn't scare you?"

"At first...but then I became too excited to care." She whispered back. "You are so sexy, Christian."

His eyes darkened. "You didn't wash, did you?"

She shook her head.

He leaned in closer. "Good girl."

Anastasia wet her lips and felt her heartrate quicken.

Elliot came over to greet them, breaking the sexual tension. He was dressed in black pants and blue button down with no tie. The first button was undone and Anastasia could see his chest hair. Anastasia found it funny just how different Christian and Elliot were to one another. Elliot was so laid back and care free. Christian, on the other hand, tended to be more uptight and formal. Elliot didn't need to be in control of anything, where as Christian wanted control in all things. She looked back up to Christian and bit her bottom lip, the memory of an hour back coming to mind again.

"Lookin' good, Ana!" Elliot complimented. "I'm still waiting on my girl. Kate always takes so long to get ready."

"Thanks Elliot." Anastasia smiled politely up at him and someone caught her eye behind him, making her gasp.

"Is that my dad? In a suit?" Anastasia asked aloud and excused herself to go speak with him.

"Dad! You look so handsome! Where did this come from?" Anastasia asked, straightening his tie.

He chuckled. "You look beautiful, babygirl. I told Christian I wasn't sure I would come since I didn't have a suit and couldn't really afford one and then, not two hours later, I had a knock on my door and it was a tailor holding a measuring tape. Now I have my own tailor-made suit. That boyfriend of yours must really love you, to spend all this money on your old man just to make you happy." Ray smiled at her.

Anastasia grinned and looked back at Christian who was watching her while he spoke to Ethan and Elliot. Christian grinned back at her and she pointed to her father's suit. Christian shrugged. Anastasia mouthed a thank you to him and he winked at her.

"Do you love him, Annie?" Ray asked.

Anastasia nodded. "More than I ever thought I could ever love a man. I never thought I would have this, Dad. I feel like I'm finally free. My fear doesn't control me anymore. I trust Christian and I know he'll keep me safe. He's my everything." She smiled at the thought.

Ray nodded and pulled her to him. "That's all I needed to know, babygirl."

Christian showed up with two glasses of wine and a whiskey that he handed to Ray.

"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Christian asked Ray as he handed her a glass of wine.

Ray smiled. "She does. It looks like she's gained some of her weight back, too. It makes her look much healthier."

Anastasia laughed. "It's all thanks to Mrs. Jones cooking. She's a phenomenal cook."

"Mrs. Jones?" Ray asked.

"Our housekeeper." Christian answered, making Anastasia blush. She took a deep swig from her glass to hide it.

"Housekeeper, huh?" Ray asked Anastasia, amused. "Fancy. You sure are spoiled, Annie."

Anastasia blushed further. "Yes, I can't deny that. Christian spoils me rotten."

Christian chuckled and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. "I take great pleasure in spoiling my girl. You deserve it, baby."

Ray nodded. "That she does. She met the one man that can give her the world." Ray's eyebrow furrowed suddenly. "Annie, would you mind if I spoke to Christian alone for a minute?"

Anastasia frowned. "Uh...sure. I'll just go find Mom and José."

Christian leaned down to kiss her. "I'll come find you in a minute, baby."

Anastasia wondered what all the secrecy was about. First with Taylor and now with her father. She shook it off and told herself that she was just overreacting. Her father probably just wanted to thank him properly.

XxXxXx

"Dance with me." Christian whispered into her ear while they sat at a table with both sets of parents and José. They had just finished dinner and a second glass of wine.

Her eyes went wide. "I'm not the greatest dancer."

"Then you haven't had a good lead. Come." He stood and offered his hand and she took it, allowing him to pull her out of her chair.

Michael Bublè's version of _'Come Fly With Me'_ came on as he escorted her towards the dance floor. He immediately pulled her close and took her hand, his other arm wrapping around her waist. She gripped his shoulder and she felt her nerves starting to spread. She just hoped that she wouldn't step on his feet.

He released her waist and used two fingers to lift her chin so she'd make eye contact. "Eyes on mine. Just relax." His arm went back around her waist and he started leading her around the dancefloor.

Anastasia's eyes slowly widened when she realized just how easy he moved. His dancing was superb and it made her feel like less of a klutz.

A smile slowly grew on his face. "See...it isn't so hard."

"Christian...you're incredible! Where'd you learn to dance?" Anastasia asked.

Christian's smile dropped a bit and Anastasia nodded. "Got it."

Christian spun her, making her giggle and pulled her back to him where he slowed his steps and held her tighter. "I love dancing with you, Ana. Any excuse to have you in my arms." He placed their clasped hands against his chest so he could tuck her closer.

She smiled. "More hearts and flowers, Mr. Grey?"

He grinned. "You've turned me into a sap, Miss Steele."

"What'd my father speak to you about?" Anastasia asked, curious.

He kissed her nose. "Just giving me his blessing to be with you. He and I have spoken a lot and he seemed unsure until this evening. He wanted me to know he approves. I think he wanted to make sure you were happy."

Anastasia grinned. "I am happy, Christian. Happier than I've ever been."

"Me too, baby." He leaned down and kissed her softly. She leaned into him, starting to deepen the kiss when they heard sobbing.

Anastasia pulled away from him and looked toward their table to see her mother in tears while Ray tried to console her. Anastasia immediately rushed over.

"Mom! Mom, what is it?" Anastasia stood on the other side of her mother and rubbed her back while she leaned against Ray, crying. Carrick and Grace looked just as confused as Anastasia did.

Carla sat up and sniffled, blotting her eyes with her napkin and trying to calm herself down. Christian sat in the empty chair next to Carla and pulled Anastasia into his lap.

"Mom...please tell me." Anastasia urged. Her mother hiccupped and sniffled, then gave a watery laugh. "I'm just so happy that you're happy, baby. I can't believe in two days it'll be eleven years!"

Anastasia sighed and pulled Carla to her. "Oh, Mom. Don't cry. It was half my lifetime ago."

"What is she referring to?" Carrick asked Ray.

Ray eyed Anastasia and she shrugged while she held Carla to her.

"July 4th, 2000 was the day we found out Anastasia was being abused by her birth father. Her mother walked in while she was changing and saw the damage. She managed to hide the abuse for two years before he hurt her bad enough for her mother to see." Ray cleared his throat and wiped at his face. Anastasia realized he had been crying, too.

"Oh, Dad. It was a long time ago." Anastasia assured him. "I'm fine."

"I just don't understand how we never knew! What type of mother am I to let it happen for two years?" Carla asked, sitting up and wiping her tears. "There were no signs! I can't believe I ever married that prick! I knew him for a month before we got drunk and headed to Vegas to get married. We divorced four months later when I found out I was pregnant. I didn't tell him because of his lifestyle...I knew he wasn't good for me or for her. And then I met Ray when Ana was two and he was everything I could ask for in a father figure for her." Carla smiled at Ray. "Thank you for taking her in as your own."

Ray smiled. "She's my babygirl. Blood means nothing. I am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter."

Anastasia hurried over to Ray and deposited herself into his lap and hugged him tightly, crying into his neck. "I love you, Daddy."

He chuckled. "I love you, too, Annie." He rubbed her back. "You know this is the second time today that you've done this."

Anastasia straightened in his lap and wiped at her tears. "I know. I'm sorry. Been a crazy few weeks." Ray kissed her forehead.

"You know...Carla...you can't continue to blame yourself for what happened. Sometimes there are no signs. Hell, we _just_ found out about Christian's abuse two weeks ago and his started when he was fifteen." Grace explained, trying to soothe Carla a bit.

"Mom!" Christian yelled, but Grace ignored him.

"Really?" Carla asked.

"Yes. Why don't we get a refill on our wine and have a chat." Grace said, trying to cheer Carla up a bit.

The two women set off together and Anastasia stood to return to Christian and noticed for the first time that José was standing behind Ray.

José held his arms out to her and she smiled and gave him a hug.

"Do you need to talk about it?" José asked, a worried look on his face.

She shook her head. "No, I just need Christian."

Anastasia saw Christian's hand reach out for her and she stepped past José, taking it and he pulled her back into his lap.

Christian wrapped his arms around her and searched her face. "Are you alright?"

Anastasia nodded. "Of course I am. I just hate that this had to be brought up today. I didn't want my mother to dwell on it...but I should know better. She does this every year. I'm sorry it had to be so dramatic."

He shrugged. "I think we're more than capable of dealing with a little drama."

Anastasia giggled. "I guess you're right."

"I can't blame your mother for being emotional, Ana. July fourth was the day that you were saved." Christian mentioned, playing with a tendril of her hair.

"Sometimes, I'd rather not think about it, though. I'd like to just enjoy the day without being reminded of my past. It's like that's all my mother sees when she looks at me. She can't let it go. I am so much more than that." Anastasia explained.

Christian nodded. "I understand, baby."

Anastasia smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He rubbed her arm. "Ana...you're freezing!"

"I get cold when I cry. Always have." She laughed, shrugging.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Christian's brow creased.

"I didn't think about it."

He shrugged out of his dark gray jacket and draped it over her arms, making her grin.

"Thank you, Mr. Grey." She leaned in and kissed him, pulling the jacket around her tightly. It was still warm from Christian's body heat and it smelled heavenly.

He gave her an amused smile. "You are more than welcome, Miss Steele."

"I feel like I'm living in a fairy tale." Anastasia mentioned, giggling.

"Just promise me that if you have an urge to run at midnight, that you will take me with you." Christian grinned, leaning his head against hers.

Her eyes lit up in amusement. "Deal."

Carrick stood and clinked his fork against his glass. "Attention! It looks like the rain has let up enough for the annual fireworks to start! They'll be starting in about five minutes, so please grab your drinks and meet us out by the water!"

Anastasia grinned. "Oh good! I love fireworks! Let's go!" She jumped up and grabbed his hand, pulling him with her.

Christian chuckled. "I'm coming woman!"

Anastasia grabbed onto Christian's arm when she hit the grass, realizing her heels were sinking into it.

Christian gave her an amused grin. "Problem?"

Anastasia scowled at him. "I'm going to have to run in and get my flats."

"Oh, no you don't! You're not missing the fireworks." Christian grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder, his jacket almost being thrown off of her. She managed to hold it to her as he began the trek down to the dock.

"Christian!" Anastasia squealed. "Are you crazy?!"

"Only about you, baby." He smacked her butt.

She heard her mother laugh behind them and she blushed.

"Must be nice to have a nice strong man carry you around." Carla teased Anastasia.

"Oh yea?" Ray asked, grabbing Carla and throwing her over his shoulder, making Carla squeal.

Anastasia gasped and started giggling at her parents. Bob was not going to like this!

Christian stopped to look at what was going on and grinned as Ray caught up with them.

"Thanks for the idea." Ray said, winking.

As the men started walking again, Anastasia caught her mother's facial expression. She looked completely breathless and she had the biggest smile on her face. Anastasia knew that Ray still had feelings for her mother and she wondered if her mother was second guessing leaving him.

"You alright there, Mom?" Anastasia teased her back.

"Just lovely." Carla answered. Anastasia saw Ray grin out of the corner of her eye.

XxXxXx

"You ready, baby?" Christian asked, pulling her in front of him and wrapping his arms around her. Anastasia had been watching her parents while they all stood by the water. She took one last look at them and craned her neck up to look at Christian.

"Yes." She grinned, widely. "I love fireworks."

Christian chuckled. "So you've mentioned."

Anastasia play scowled at him. "You just hush!"

The first firework exploded, startling her and her head snapped forward to watch. She pulled his jacket around her tighter and leaned back into him, enjoying the show.

In the middle of it, she noticed that his heart seemed to be thudding hard against the back of her head and she turned her head to press her ear against his chest. It was beating hard and rapid. She craned her head up to look at him and he looked back down at her.

"What is it, baby?" He asked.

She noticed his voice was breathy. "Are you alright? Your heart is practically beating out of your chest."

Christian leaned down and kissed her. "I'm fine. It's just the fireworks, baby. Just watch." He smiled and nuzzled her neck when she turned her attention back to the fireworks.

As the finale started, Anastasia saw what she thought was a dud firework, but then quickly realized it was a fuse burning. The fuse climbed and burst; letters started to light up and burn bright.

 _Ana Baby...Marry Me?_

Both of her hands went over her mouth and nose and she gasped loudly. She realized she couldn't catch her breath and her hands went to her chest. The noise of the fireworks bursting in the background seemed to fade.

Christian turned her towards him and he cupped her face. "Breathe, Ana. Deep breath." He coaxed quietly. She nodded, looking up at him with wide eyes and did as he requested. He gave her a small smile and reached into the jacket pocket and bent down on one knee. Her eyes found her father's for a second and he gave her a small smile and nod. She realized then that Ray knew about this.

Anastasia's eyes met Christian's again and he took her hand. "Christian..." Anastasia couldn't believe what was happening.

His smile widened. "Anastasia...I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I'd be able to love anyone. For a long time, I lived a very dark life and I never realized how unhappy I was until you walked through my parents door with my very drunk sister back in May. You sparked something in me that I didn't even know existed. When you fell right on your ass and took me down with you...I was so infuriated...and then you turned and asked if it was noticeable..." Christian laughed and shook his head, making Anastasia giggle. "My anger disappeared. You were enchanting, Miss Steele. You had this sweet innocence that I had never seen before. I wanted nothing more than to be with you...make you happy...keep you safe. Anastasia...you are the sweetest, yet most infuriating woman I have ever met. We've been through a lot already and we only seem to be getting stronger from it. I promise to love you through whatever comes our way. You promised me you'd brighten my dark soul and you kept your promise...but we can't find our perfect shade of gray if you aren't one. Marry me, Anastasia. Be my Mrs. Grey."

Anastasia sniffled through her tears and nodded.

"Yes?" Christian asked. "I need to hear you."

She cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes!"

Christian launched off the ground and pulled her to him, kissing her. Anastasia realized the fireworks were still going off and now she could hear everyone cheering. She giggled into the kiss and felt him grin.

He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed deeply. "What a relief."

Anastasia smiled. "I love you so much, Christian. There's nothing I want more."

Christian kissed her again and straightened, pulling the ring out of the box. She held out her shaky left hand and he slipped it onto her finger. The ring had a platinum band and a large, oval, center diamond with a halo of diamonds surrounding it.

"Oh, Christian...it's perfect." Anastasia reached up and cupped his face, bringing it back down to hers so she could kiss him again.

"Turn towards me." Anastasia heard José say. She saw he had his camera.

"I hired him to photograph the whole thing." Christian mentioned when he saw the confused look on her face.

"You did?" Anastasia grinned and turned towards José like he asked. He took a few more pictures before Christian called Mia over.

"Mia...I think we should make this official..." Christian announced, confusing both of the girls. "I heard that nothing's official until it's posted on Facebook... Mia? Will you do the honors?"

Mia squealed and pulled out her phone. "Of course!"

Christian pulled Anastasia to him for another picture.

"Hold up your hand, Ana!" Mia urged.

Christian grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest, holding it in place with his.

Mia squealed. "Oh! That's just perfect!...Okay... got it, now place your hand on his cheek while he kisses you."

Anastasia laughed. "We have two photographers now?"

"Just do it! It'll be cute!" Mia demanded.

Christian grabbed Anastasia and dipped her, kissing her deeply and making a show of it.

Anastasia scowled at Christian as he placed her on her feet.

Christian grinned at her. "Is it a crime to want everyone to know you're mine forever now?"

"Since when do you care what others think?" Anastasia asked, confused.

"I didn't say I cared what they thought."

"But you hate Facebook."

"Love makes you do crazy things, Anastasia." Christian pulled her in for another kiss.

 **BIG SHOUTOUT TO SANJANASANDEEP232 FOR HELPING ME DECIDE ON THE ENGAGEMENT BIT. YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR.**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: I own nothing! Thank you to sanjanasandeep232 for helping me brainstorm! Such a doll, this one!**

"Oh, Ana! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations, baby!" Carla gushed, pulling her daughter against her and squeezed her tight.

"Thanks, Mom." Anastasia smiled at her when they pulled apart.

"Get over here, you! My soon-to-be son-in-law!" Carla said, waving him over with open arms.

Anastasia gave Christian a nervous glance, but he winked at her, calming her a little. She was worried that her mother would touch him where he couldn't stand to be touched.

Anastasia turned toward her father. "You knew?"

Ray chuckled and nodded. "Christian asked for your hand two weeks ago...I admit I wasn't for it at first. He and I spent a lot of time on the phone getting to know one another a bit better. Truth be told, I kind of liked making the big-wig sweat."

"Daddy!" Anastasia admonished. She heard Christian laughing behind her.

Ray pulled her to him and squeezed her. "Promise me you won't forget me."

Anastasia snorted. "Don't be so dramatic. I'll still see you just as much as I always have."

"You're my baby girl. I'm not sure how I feel about handing you off to another man. I gave my blessing, but please don't hesitate to call or come to me if you need me...for any reason. Don't forget where your home is." He hugged her tighter. "I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe I'm going to trust that another man will take care of you. How am I supposed to know if you're ready, when I don't even know if I'm ready?"

Anastasia squeezed him. "Oh, Dad. Christian already takes care of me...and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself if he doesn't. To be honest, I'll probably be ready before you are. He's a good man, Daddy. You'll see."

He released her and she turned to José, who stood, chewing on his bottom lip.

"José?"

He eyed her for a moment. "You sure?"

She nodded and opened her arms. José sighed and stepped into them, pulling her close. "I'm worried." He whispered, holding onto her.

She gave another nod against his shoulder. "I know you are."

"How well do you know each other? Is he even aware of your inner nerd? Does he understand the memes that you send him? Maybe I should brief him."

A smile formed on Anastasia's face and she giggled and pulled away from him. "José! I do not send him memes!"

"Ah...got it." José tapped his nose. "It's another Jose exclusive, then?"

Anastasia winced at his wording.

"What does he mean _another_?" Christian asked.

"Oh, Christian...please don't. It's not anything like you're thinking." Anastasia urged.

"Then what is it like?"

"Like standing in line for most of the night to be first in line to get a new book that came out, or getting to the movie theatre four hours early for the midnight showing for one of our favorite movies..." José started to explain. "Anastasia...do you remember when we showed up early for that premier, thinking it was going to be packed and not a soul was in the movie theatre?"

Anastasia grinned and nodded. "We spent three hours throwing popcorn at each other, trying to catch it with our mouths and drank Icees until we had brainfreezes."

José laughed. "I believe you had to get up four times during the movie to pee."

Anastasia giggled. "I think my mouth was blue for three days." She answered looking up at Christian. She realized he was not enjoying himself and her smile dropped. "Um...why don't we head inside where everyone else is? Christian, baby...will you give me a piggy back ride?"

Christian cracked a smile. "A piggy back ride, Anastasia?"

"Well, it's better than being thrown over your shoulder like a cave woman!"

His smile widened and he turned, crouching low. "Hop on, then."

On their way back, Anastasia kept nuzzling and kissing his neck, making him break out in goosebumps. "This gives me perfect access to your neck." Anastasia whispered in his ear, before nibbling on his earlobe.

Christian took a slow, deep breath. "Piggy back has just turned into my favorite way of carrying you."

XxXxXx

Everyone was gone, except for Christian, Anastasia, José, and Anastasia's parents. The Grey's wanted to speak to them about the wedding before they went back home. Anastasia wasn't sure how she felt about this. She barely wrapped her head around the fact that she was engaged to be married and now she was supposed to start planning. She didn't expect this to happen so soon and she wasn't one of those girls who fantasized about her wedding day, because quite honestly, she never thought she'd have one. She never wanted one until now.

"Anastasia...what kind of wedding are you wanting?" Grace asked as they sat in the dining room together, drinking coffee.

Anastasia shrugged. "I'm not sure...probably nothing too big."

"When do you want to be married?"

Anastasia looked over at Christian. "As soon as possible." He answered, making her eyes widened.

Grace rose an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"Oh my God! This isn't a shotgun wedding is it?" Carla asked, suddenly panicked.

Anastasia laughed. "No, Mom! I am not pregnant!"

Carla sat back in her chair, holding her chest. "Thank God!"

"I'll give you a month." Christian told his mother.

"A month! That's no time at all, Christian! There's so much to plan!" Grace now looked panicked.

"Wait! What date would that make it?" Anastasia asked, pulling out her phone to check her calendar.

"July 30th." Christian answered.

"Oh, that's fine then. I have a doctor's appointment on the eighteenth." Anastasia nodded. She was due for her period and needed to get her birth control shot. She didn't want to be stuck at the end of her period on her wedding night.

"Do you know how hard it'll be trying to find a venue in a month...while in the _middle_ of wedding season?" Grace asked.

Christian shrugged. "Than we'll have it here."

Grace's eyes lit up. "Really? Oh, Christian! That would be lovely!"

Mia, who sat next to Anastasia, elbowed her. "Look! My post already has over five-hundred shares and thousands of likes! Everyone keeps asking about a prenup!" Mia whispered, giggling.

Anastasia's eyes widened. She didn't think about that. Of course Christian would want a prenup. It would protect him...and honestly she didn't mind the thought. She didn't care about his money. She just wanted him.

"No." Christian whispered into her ear, making her jump and grab her chest.

"Christian! You scared me!"

"No prenup." Christian said louder, shaking his head.

"Christian!" Carrick admonished. "You _will_!"

"No, we _won't_." Christian challenged.

"Do you realize what you are saying? If you two divorce...she gets half...of _everything_!" Carrick looked offended.

"Christian...maybe it's best if you listen to your father... I'll sign whatever you want me to. I wouldn't take anything anyway. I just want to be with you."

"No, Anastasia! Like you said, you wouldn't take anything anyway. So there's no need. I will _not_ go into my marriage with a contract." Christian said, finality in his voice.

Anastasia sat back in her chair, realizing why he was so against it. No more contracts.

Carrick scowled. "Christian...we'll talk about this later."

XxXxXx

"Guess we better get back to the hotel. We'll see you tomorrow, Annie." Ray told her when they were all getting ready to leave.

"What? Hotel? Christian! They aren't staying with us?" Anastasia asked, confused.

"I only have two extra beds, Ana. I thought they'd be more comfortable at a hotel." Christian explained.

"But they're only here for the weekend! I want to see them as much as I can! We can sleep on the couch in the games room. Mom can have our bed. I'll change the sheets myself." Anastasia told Christian.

Christian's eyes widened. "Ana..."

"Christian...please?"

"No, no. Don't be silly! We don't want to be a bother. We don't mind staying at the hotel!" Carla answered.

Anastasia looked up at Christian and pouted.

Christian sighed. "It's alright Carla. Please come stay with us. It isn't a bother."

Anastasia beamed and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I love you."

Christian gave an amused grin. "You better."

They all headed out to the SUV's and Anastasia saw Sawyer jump out of the second one to help Carla, Ray, and José with their things.

"Sawyer! So nice to see you!" Anastasia smiled.

Sawyer smiled back. "Thank you, Miss Steele."

"Sawyer, bring them to Escala. They aren't going to the hotel tonight." Christian told him as he and Ana climbed into their SUV.

Anastasia sat in the middle and curled up to his side, holding him around his waist. She let out a contented sigh and kissed his neck.

"You like Sawyer, Anastasia?" Christian asked, playing with her hair.

She smiled. "Of course I do!"

"Good. I'm going to speak to him tomorrow about working full time as your security." Christian explained.

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Why do I need security? Did something happen?"

"No, everything is fine, baby. Taylor does a great job with both of us, but I don't like putting all that stress on him and if the situation were to arise...I'm not sure if he'd be able to protect both of us. Sawyer will be your Taylor. With our engagement, there will probably be paparazzi pushing their way through again. I feel comfortable with Sawyer and I know that he'll keep you safe when I can't be there...that is as long as you don't run away again."

Anastasia blushed. "I won't." She felt bad for Taylor. She didn't think about how much more responsibility was on his shoulders with her being added to the mix.

"Wait...Sawyer won't be staring at me while I work all day, will he?" She did not want him to be her shadow again.

Christian chuckled. "No, baby. Not unless something else happens and we're on red alert. He'll just take you to work and drop you off...might drop in to check on things every once in awhile, and if you have something you need him to do, he'll be there."

Anastasia giggled. "So, basically you're paying him to drive me around and be on call 24/7 throughout the week?"

"Something like that." Christian grinned and kissed the top of her head.

XxXxXx

"Oh, Ana! This apartment is amazing!" Carla mentioned wide-eyed.

"No kidding!" José agreed.

Anastasia laughed. "You act like I had something to do with it. It's Christian's, Mom."

Christian frowned. "Anastasia...you live here to. If we're to be married, you really need to get out of that mindset. Everything is _ours_."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go change the sheets on _our_ bed then; I'll be right back. Christian...why don't you show the boys to their rooms? Put José in the white room, please." She did not want her father sleeping in that terrible sub room.

"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted her.

Anastasia went into their closet and pulled a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, and two pillow cases off one of the higher shelves. She'd let her mother use her pillows; she'd take Christian's to the games room. She'd probably be curled up to him anyway and wouldn't need any for herself. She then grabbed a flat sheet and a blanket that she would take to the games room for them.

She had just finished making the bed and was on her last pillow when Sawyer entered with Carla's overnight bag.

"Sorry, Miss Steele. I wasn't aware that you were in here." Sawyer turned to leave.

"No, you are quite alright. Just finishing changing the sheets. Carry on." Anastasia urged.

Sawyer nodded and placed the bag on the armchair next to the window.

"Listen, Sawyer...I wanted to apologize for booking it out of work the other day and leaving you there. I want you to know that it wasn't anything personal. I felt the intense need to have some time alone and I went about it the wrong way."

Sawyer gave her a nod. "Apology accepted, Miss Steele. I didn't take it personal. I could tell that you were getting antsy. You do have impeccable timing, Miss Steele... you could have been killed. I would have felt personally responsible if you got hurt. Mr. Grey and I are going to have a meeting about extending my contract...in order to agree to his terms, I need to know you won't do that again. I need to know I can trust you, just as much as you with me." Sawyer explained.

Anastasia nodded. "You have my word that I will not run off again. I wasn't aware of just how...dangerous it was. I don't trust many men, Sawyer, but I trust you. I hope you'll sign."

Sawyer nodded and gave Anastasia a small smile. "That's good to hear, Miss Steele. I'm sure Mr. Grey and I can come to an agreement. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way." Sawyer added, heading toward the bedroom door.

Anastasia smiled and followed him out, grabbing Christian's pillows and the bedwear she pulled out earlier. "Thank you, Sawyer."

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia were curled up on the sectional couch, Christian laying on his back with Anastasia curled into him, her head on his chest.

"I can't believe it's the night of our engagement and we're stuck on the couch." Christian complained.

Anastasia grinned. "I'm sorry, baby."

"I had plans to ravish you in our bed! I'm not about to make love to my fiancé for the first time on some uncomfortable couch in our games room with your parents and José so close. What's the fun, if I can't make you scream?" Christian pouted.

Anastasia giggled. "I think I'm way too tired to be ravished tonight, anyway, Mr. Grey." She yawned.

"Maybe _we_ should have stayed at the hotel..." Christian continued to complain, making Anastasia laugh. "I'm a billionaire for Christ's sake and I'm stuck sleeping on a freaking couch while my future mother-in-law stretches out in our bed. Tomorrow, I am sending Taylor out to buy two more beds for the other rooms upstairs. See if I get stuck on _this_ couch again!" Christian ranted.

Anastasia was now belly-laughing. "You are adorable." She remarked, taking his hand in hers.

Christian brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed the knuckle below her engagement ring. "I love that you're wearing my ring, Anastasia. A promise that you'll be mine forever." He brought their hands back down to his chest and played with the ring.

"Mmhmm...always." Anastasia mentioned, feeling her eyelids getting heavier.

Christian chuckled. "You are tired, aren't you, baby?" She nodded against his chest. "Sleep, Ana. I'll hold you."

She grinned with her eyes closed. "I know. You always do."

XxXxXx

Anastasia woke up around 3:30am with the intense urge to pee. She climbed over Christian as delicately as she could, so she wouldn't wake him and hurried to the door, opening it slowly and closing it silently behind her. She headed to the bathroom across the hall and quickly did her business, wanting to get back to sleep. She still felt exhausted from all the activities the day prior.

As she turned off the bathroom light, she heard the piano playing. The games room door was still closed, so she went to investigate. As the piano came into view, she saw José's face lit up by the moon from the window. She noticed he was playing Sarah Bareilles.

She continued forward and stood next to the piano while he played.

"Set me free, leave me be, I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity..." Anastasia started singing quietly and sat next to him on the bench.

José grinned at her. He continued to play and she continued to sing along.

"Something always brings me back to you...it never takes too long..." They finished and José set his hands on his thighs and looked down, shaking his head.

Anastasia's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

He sniffled and turned toward her, taking a deep breath. "Do you remember that girl I told you about? Belica?"

Anastasia nodded. "A little."

José looked down at his knotted fingers. "We ended up hitting it off and I kind of fell in love with her...she was supposed to move to Boston with me...she was even looking for a job up there. She then texted me on Monday and proceeded to tell me that her ex boyfriend came back to Portland and that she had been sleeping with him for the past month..."

Anastasia gasped. "Oh, José..."

José swallowed thickly and shook his head. "Then she sends me another text saying she would rather be with him and that she wouldn't be moving with me." José snorted. "And the really fucked up part is that I was disappointed that she chose him. I was actually planning on forgiving her! I still fucking love this chick that cheated and broke my heart. What is wrong with me?"

Anastasia pulled him to her and hugged him tightly. "José...nothing is wrong with you. Unfortunately, you can't control who you fall in love with...The important part is that you understand that she isn't good for you. She doesn't deserve you."

José tucked his head into her neck and she could feel his tears against her skin. It caused her own tears to fall. "Oh, José. I'm so sorry." She hugged him tighter.

Anastasia saw movement out of the corner of her eye and her head snapped to the side to see Christian leaning against the wall next to the hall. Her heart gave a jolt and she opened her mouth to explain herself, but Christian's index finger went to his lips, asking her to stay quiet. He gave her a nod and disappeared back down the hall.

XxXxXx

Thirty minutes later, Anastasia had convinced José to go back to bed and she headed back to the games room. She climbed into Christian's arms and and kissed him.

"Thank you." She mentioned quietly, nuzzling his neck.

"You look exhausted, Ana. Let's get some sleep." Christian told her.

Anastasia eyed him for a few seconds, trying to gauge his mood. She couldn't tell if he was angry about the José thing or not. His face was expressionless.

She frowned. "Christian...?"

He sighed. "I'm tired, Ana. Let's just get some sleep."

She nodded and settled in against his chest, hoping he wouldn't be sour the next morning.

After a moment of silence, Christian spoke. "Everything is fine, Ana. I'm just tired. Sleep, baby."

"Are you happy?" Anastasia asked. "Are you sure you want to be stuck with me for another sixty years?"

"Ana...sixty years is not near long enough. I want you forever." Christian kissed the top of her head.

She grinned against his chest. "Goodnight, Christian. I love you."

"I love you, Ana."

XxXxXx

Anastasia stood in the kitchen the next morning, whipping up some scrambled eggs and frying some bacon. Christian stood next to her in nothing, but a pair of pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips, while he made coffee and she kept finding herself stealing glances at her Adonis.

"You're staring." Christian mentioned, pouring water into the machine.

"Is it a crime to stare at my fiancé, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, poking at the bacon.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hmm...fiancé...I could get use to that." He mentioned, nibbling on her ear.

"How about future husband?" Anastasia asked, grinning when she heard him groan into her neck.

He pushed his erection against the small of her back. "This is how I feel about that."

She turned and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, grinning up at him. "I haven't received my good morning kiss yet, future husband."

He eyes darkened. "I better make it up to you, then."

Her hands slipped into his hair and he grabbed her, setting her on the kitchen island. He pulled her legs apart and stepped between them, kissing her deeply. She tugged on his hair and felt his groan against her lips.

Someone cleared their throat and Christian stepped back, allowing Anastasia to hop off the counter.

"Good Morning José." Anastasia greeted with a red face, trying to catch her breath.

Christian stood there, looking smug.

"Christian...will you watch the bacon while I go see if Mom's up?" Anastasia asked, giving him a scowl.

Christian grinned and nodded. "Sure, baby. Go ahead."

Anastasia knocked on her mother's door. When there was no answer, she opened it and stuck her head in, seeing that the bed was empty. She went to the bathroom door and heard that the water was running. She checked and noticed it was unlocked, so she stuck her head in.

"Hey Mom...breakfast is...OH! I am so sorry!" Anastasia shut the door behind her and ran out of the bedroom and back into the kitchen with her hands over her cheeks.

Christian and José both watched her as she paced the space between the stove and the kitchen island.

"Something happen?" Christian asked.

"My mother...my father...in the shower...doing what _we_ do in that shower!" Anastasia rubbed her eyes, trying to get the visual out of her head and Christian laughed.

"It's not funny! I managed to go my whole childhood without seeing _that_ and _now_ I catch them doing _that_ in our shower!" Anastasia whimpered and bent over the counter, her head smacking against the granite.

"Well, to be fair...she does live across the country...this was probably the only time they could find time." Christian mentioned, shrugging.

"CHRISTIAN!" Anastasia yelled, "She has a husband! My father is having an affair with my married mother!"

Christian pulled her into him for a hug. "Relax, baby. It isn't our business."

"But..."

"Nope...not our business."

Anastasia sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "If it's none of my business, then why do I have the visual that's now branded into by brain?"

José laughed. "You know how Carla is, Ana. It _is_ her fourth marriage."

Anastasia scowled at José. "That's still my mother, you're talking about!"

José put his hands up in defeat and Anastasia sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just worked up."

He nodded. "I understand."

Anastasia started the eggs and they were almost done when her parents appeared from the bedroom.

"Have a good night?" Anastasia asked, a little annoyed.

"Oh, Ana... I'm sorry you had to see that." Carla mentioned, running her hand over Anastasia's hair.

Anastasia took a step back. "After what I just saw, I think you're a little too close for comfort." Her nose scrunched. "And we have locks for a reason..." She added.

Ray poured himself some coffee and Christian wiggled his eyebrows at him, making him snort into his cup.

"Christian! Don't encourage them! She is a married woman!" Anastasia admonished.

"Separated." Carla mentioned.

Anastasia's eyes went wide. "What?"

Carla sighed and sat next to José at the breakfast bar. Ray handed her a cup of coffee. "Bob and I have been separated for two months."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anastasia asked, her brow furrowing.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Do you need somewhere to stay?" Anastasia asked, knowing her mother didn't work and probably didn't have any money.

"Your dad is going to help me find an apartment near him and I'm going to start looking for a job on Tuesday. I'll stay with him until then." Carla mentioned, looking up at Ray.

Anastasia smiled. "Yea? That's good news."

Carla nodded. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, Anastasia. The only things I don't regret are you and Ray."

Anastasia squealed and hurried around the island to hug her mother and Ray. She had a feeling that there wouldn't be a need for that apartment. "You know I'm going to have to sanitize that whole bathroom now." Anastasia mentioned, while they were in the middle of their group hug, making them laugh.

"Let's eat!" Christian called, carrying the bowl of eggs and plate of bacon. "Who wants toast?"

"My, my...Anastasia! A man who can bring home the bacon _and_ cook it...I didn't know Christian was so domestic..." Carla mentioned.

Anastasia cocked an eyebrow. "Me either." She teased, winking at Christian.

"Give me a little credit! No burns today, Miss Steele." Christian mentioned.

"Aw...no boo-boos to kiss?" Anastasia asked, giggling.

"My pride might be a little wounded." Christian pouted, setting the bowl and plate down and pulling her toward him.

"Don't pout." She mentioned, kissing it away quickly. That pout of his caused the blood to rush to her core and she squeezed her thighs together, turning and grabbing the bowl and plate so that it didn't look obvious. "Come on, let's eat in the dining room."

 **A/N: Too many people make José a bad guy. I just couldn't do it. He just cares for Ana and wants the best for her, just as she does with him.**


	28. Chapter 28

They spent the day with her parents and José, showing them where they worked, going to the needle, and taking them to a nice restaurant for dinner. They all returned to Escala after dinner and packed them up, before sending them off with Sawyer to the airport.

Anastasia and Christian stood in the foyer as the elevator closed and their visitors disappeared. Anastasia sighed deeply, happy to get some time alone with Christian. Evidently, Christian was feeling the same way, because before she knew it, she was being picked up and carried into the bedroom.

When they got to the bedroom, she noticed the sheets had been changed and that there was an extra sheet on top, covering the sheets and the duvet. He set her down and pulled her sundress over head, not wasting any time.

"I hope that offer from yesterday is still available. I had Taylor buy a few things for us yesterday. I want everything we use to be brand new and just ours. Everything in that room is gone and the walls are now blue." Christian cupped her face, searching it.

A grin formed on her face. "I'd like that."

"Do you want to play, Anastasia?"

The tip of her tongue came out to lick her lips and she nodded. "Yes." She could already feel her heart rate climbing.

His eyes darkened. "Good. I had Taylor install some add-ons to the head and foot board. Come." He turned and headed toward the bed and she followed.

He waved her over and told her to sit on the bed. He reached his hand into the cloth covered headboard and Anastasia noticed that there was a hidden slit with a small flap covering it. He pushed the flap in and she saw that there was a large metal ring in the center of the bed. Her eyes widened.

"There are two more on the headboard. One on each corner. The same on the footboard." Christian explained.

Anastasia nodded, a bit nervous.

"I won't do anything you won't like, Anastasia. You can always tell me no. I figure that these will be a lot nicer to your wrists and my ties."

She couldn't help, but grin and nodded.

"Stay." He commanded and climbed off the bed, disappearing into the closet. He came back out with a bar that had two leather cuffs on it and a few other rings on it.

He sat next to her and handed it to her. "This is a spreader bar. These are for your legs. There are more cuffs that go on it...that's what those other three spots are for. We will use the ones for your wrists sometime, but I swear to you we will not use the middle one, which hooks onto your neck."

Anastasia inspected it. "It doesn't spread very far..." She mentioned.

He grinned and put his hand out, palm up. She handed it back to him and he extended the bar. "You can position it wherever you like...or should I say, I can."

She smiled.

"Is this okay?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He leaned over and kissed her. 'I can either use the cuffs for your hands or one of my ties, Ana. Which do you prefer?"

She chewed her lip. "I think the tie for now...if you don't mind. I'm still a bit nervous." Her eyebrows knitted together.

"Baby, we can use only the tie...or nothing at all if you prefer. I don't want to scare you." Christian looked worried.

She shook her head. "No, no. I want to. It's just new. I'm sure I'll get more comfortable."

He regarded her for a moment.

"Really, Christian. Thank you for explaining everything beforehand. Now...I want to play."

His face relaxed and she saw his eyes go molten, making her heartrate automatically quicken. He reached over and unclasped her bra with his right hand and she let it fall to the bed, before throwing it to the side.

"Lie down." He commanded and she complied. "Stay." He said, before disappearing back into the closet. She took a deep breath in and blew it out.

He reappeared with two ties. "Lift your head." She did as he asked and everything went dark as he wrapped one of his ties around her eyes.

"Arms up, wrists together." She heard him say and then she felt them being tied together. "Make fists, Anastasia." She did and felt her knuckles hit the headboard and realized that they were stuck there, tied to the headboard. She felt his weight leave the bed and was ready this time when he yanked her down the bed, making her arms extend above her, her breasts being pushed up and forward.

"You look mighty fine, Anastasia." She heard him say. His large, warm hands slid up her legs and to her panties, pulling them down her legs slowly. Goosebumps broke out up and down her legs and she groaned, rolling her head to the side. How could something like that get her so turned on?

She felt the soft, padded, leather cuff go around her left ankle and she hummed. It felt wonderful against her bony ankle. After it was fastened, she felt Christian slip a finger between her ankle and the cuff, checking to see if it was too tight. He pulled her right leg away from her left a bit and she felt the cuff go around her right ankle. She heard a sliding sound and her legs started to part...wider and wider they went, causing her to moan.

"How does that feel, baby?" Christian asked, running his hands up and down her shins.

She hummed. "Good."

She heard a clink of metal against metal and wondered what the sound was. Christian didn't comment, so she let it go.

"I'll be back, Anastasia." Christian mentioned.

"What?!" She started to panic a little.

"Hey...hey, relax." She felt the bed dip and he stroked her cheek. "I'm heading to the kitchen just for a minute. I'll be right back, baby. Trust me. I'm right here. I'll be able to hear you." He kissed her lips and she felt herself relax.

"Okay." She nodded, sighing deeply.

A few moments went by and she heard the door open and close again. "I'm back, baby." She heard him set something down on the night stand. "God, Ana. You look so sexy like this. I'm going to ravish this body." She felt a finger stroke down the center of her body: down her sternum, through the valley between her breasts, down her abdomen and over her navel, stopping when he got to her pubic hair. She whimpered and bit her lip.

She gasped when she felt something cold being wiped on her body with something that felt a little bumpy, but she couldn't place. Whatever was being wiped on her body followed the path he just created with his finger. His warm, wet tongue soon followed and she moaned, her body arching at his touch.

She heard him bite into something and then a cold, wet...maybe juicy, object was pressed against her right nipple making her jolt. She gasped when she realized her legs wouldn't move. He chained the bar to the footboard.

"Easy, baby." Christian whispered, before licking up the bottom swell of her breast where the liquid rolled and taking her nipple in his mouth to clean it. She groaned at the feeling.

She felt the cold liquid dripping across her breast to her other, where he pressed the cold object against her other breast, the cold liquid dripping down all sides.

She felt his mouth and tongue move across, lapping and sucking the liquid as he went.

"Open your mouth." He commanded and her mouth automatically opened. Something was pressed against her lips and her tongue swiped at it, realizing it was cream. She sucked, realizing it was a strawberry with cream.

"Bite down, baby." She did as she was told and moaned at the taste.

"Oh, I like this." Christian mentioned, dipping the other half of the strawberry in cream and letting her eat the rest of it. "My god, Ana. You're stunning. Are you thirsty?"

She nodded, wanting to see how that was going to work. She heard him move and something that sounded like ice in a glass before his lips were on hers. She gasped and his mouth opened, depositing what tasted like white wine into her mouth. She hummed. It tasted incredible.

"More?"

"Please, sir."

His lips came down to hers again and she drank from his mouth again. His tongue slid over the length of her bottom lip, making her toes curl and her hips rise.

"I think it's time for another strawberry." Christian said, before another strawberry with cream hit her lips. She opened and took it willingly, biting off the end and moaning. She felt the juice drip down the side of her mouth and the tip of her tongue swiped at it.

"Fuck!" Christian hissed and his weight came off the bed.

Anastasia's heart jumped. "What is it?" Her brows furrowed under the tie.

"You just unmanned me, baby." She heard his belt jingle and the zipper of his blue jeans. She felt his weight back on the bed and his lips pressed against hers. "A first, Anastasia." She could feel his warm breath panting against her lips. She couldn't help a smug smile.

"Finish your strawberry, Anastasia." Christian said, holding it back to her mouth. She bit off the rest of it, chewing and swallowing. "Good girl."

His lips met hers again and she tasted more wine, moaning as his tongue followed the liquid. He kissed her soundly and she heard the ice rattle again; she opened her mouth a little, expecting more, but his lips went to her neck instead. When his lips hit her pulse point, she gasped and her center clenched as he slid a piece of ice that was in his mouth, against it. He slid it down her neck and to her chest, leaving a wet trail.

His lips went to her left nipple and she felt the cold ice cube against it, making her whimper. It was an odd feeling. It burned, but was cold at the same time. It hurt, but felt incredibly good. She felt herself become wetter and then the cold air hit her core making her hips raise.

"Still, Anastasia."

"Yes, sir." She said, panting.

An ice cube hit the middle of her abdomen and she gasped, sucking her stomach in, trying to get away from the cold. The ice cube slid down to her navel and she found hips moving on their own accord.

"Anastasia! Still! I won't say it again. I will tie your feet to your wrists so you can't." Christian warned.

She felt another ice cube being guided down past her navel and into her pubic hair, his fingers holding it against her clit. She cried out at the cold, and she had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep from coming. She could feel her whole chest heave as she panted.

His warm tongue found her clit and he sucked hard. She screamed, coming hard, and she pulled on her binding as her body shook violently and her hips rose.

"Holy shit! Christian...that was...incredible...Oh...OH! Christian!" Her body started to shake again, as he continued to work her clit.

She relaxed and her whole body felt weak. Her shoulders hurt from the position they were in and the way she stretched during her orgasm. She tried to move her shoulders, but she was stuck.

"I've got you." She heard Christian say and felt him lean up and release the tie from the ring. Her hands were still bound, but she could bring them forward to roll her shoulders. He rubbed them for her and kissed her jaw line.

"Think you can hold out a bit longer? I want to try another position." Christian asked, kissing down her neck.

She moaned. "Oh, yes, sir." She didn't want to stop there. She wanted him to claim her.

Anastasia heard metal clinking together and her legs closing a bit. "Pull your legs up, Anastasia."

She did as he asked and pulled them up, bending her legs a bit.

"Good girl. I'm going to tie your wrists to the bar. Hold onto the center."

She reached up and grabbed the bar, her ring clinking against it as she grabbed it. She grinned at the sound. She felt the tie being pulled and moved as he tied it to the bar.

"Yes, Anastasia. Perfect. Now bring your upper arms down and rest your elbows against the bed. Pull your legs up and let them rest against your shoulders. She did as he asked and was surprised at how comfortable it was having her knees relax against her shoulders.

She heard Christian groan. "Yes, baby. I love seeing you so open for me." The bed dipped by her core and she felt his naked thighs against her. "I'm going to take what's mine, now, baby. I'll start slow."

His hands ran up and down the back of her thighs that were in the air and he moaned loudly when he pushed into her.

"Ohhh, Christian!" She moaned, gripping the bar tighter.

"Yes, baby. Only I can make you feel like this." He started to move a little faster and she moaned louder.

"Yes, Christian...only you. Oh, please...faster..." Anastasia whimpered and bit her lip.

"This body is mine Ana. Always." Christian told her, slowing and tilting his hips in a circle, stretching her. "This pretty pussy is mine to do with as I please."

She groaned. "Yes! Please, Christian...please." She knew she was begging, but she needed him.

"You want it faster, baby?" Christian asked, rubbing her clit with his thumb.

"Mmm, yes, sir!"

"It's going to be intense, baby. Are you ready?" Christian asked, slipping his hands under her and lifting her a few inches.

"Yes!" Anastasia barked out, frustrated.

He slammed into her and she cried out.

"Like this?" Christian asked, slamming into her again.

"Yes, sir! Yes, Christian! Don't stop!"

Anastasia got louder the longer he fucked her, but she didn't care. It was the most intense feeling of her life and she didn't know whether to scream or cry or beg for more.

"Shit! You're so tight, Ana." He growled through clenched teeth.

"You're...mmm...just...so...ahh...big..." She panted between moans. "I'm so close...mmm...please...don't stop!"

Her comment made him go faster. "Come for me, Anastasia. I'm ready to mark you. Scream my name."

Her core clenched around him and she felt every muscle in her body contract and release, blood rushing through her body at an intense speed. She saw stars and her hearing faded out; she knew she was screaming, but she couldn't tell how loud. Tears leaked out between her eyelids that were squeezed shut and she whimpered as the waves of her orgasm started to dissipate.

Suddenly her wrists were free and her blindfold was pulled off of her. She lowered her legs slowly, wincing at the soreness in her thighs.

"Did I hurt you?" Christian looked half-panicked.

Anastasia shook her head. "No, muscles are just tight. That orgasm was incredible." She answered, finally relaxing against the bed. He reached down and released her ankles, but she didn't feel the need to move. She laid still and closed her eyes.

"Tired?" Christian asked.

"Exhausted...have a bit of a headache."

"Ah, it was a good one then. I'll get you some Advil and we'll go to bed. Don't move." Christian said, letting the pads of his fingers stroke up and down her arm.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Anastasia mentioned, refusing to open her eyes.

He kissed the bridge of her nose, then her lips. "I love you, Anastasia." He kissed her forehead and stood to fetch the Advil.

XxXxXx

Anastasia sat in her office on a Wednesday, staring at her computer screen. She was supposed to be working, but she couldn't seem to concentrate long enough to get anything done. She and Dr. Flynn had been speaking and he thought that she might be at the point in her therapy where she needed to come clean to Christian about what happened with her birth father. Dr. Flynn had mentioned that Christian had been open with her, and that now she had explained everything in therapy, it might be a good idea to be open with him pre-wedding, so that there weren't any secrets. She had been thinking about it since their meeting Monday and they were to meet again later that evening.

She finally decided to swallow her nerves and she pulled out her cell phone.

 _*Hello, love. Are you busy this evening?*_

 _*Hey, baby. I have a video conference with some clients in Detroit. I thought you had an appointment with Flynn?*_

Anastasia felt a little disappointed that he already had plans. She'd just have to wait for another night.

 _*I do. I hope the conference goes well, Mr. Grey. I'll see you later tonight. Love you. X*_ Anastasia set her blackberry down and went back to here computer screen. Her anxiety had dissipated a little, knowing she wouldn't have to explain herself later that evening, so she was finally able to comprehend the paragraph she had read ten times prior.

There was a ping and a box popped up on her computer screen.

Christian Grey, CEO of Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

requests a video conference call with:

Anastasia Steele, Editor of Seattle Independent Publishing

Accept Deny

Anastasia hit the accept button and Christian's face appeared, causing her to smile.

"Good afternoon Mr. Grey!" She greeted. "This is pretty neat." She added, enjoying being able to see him, even if it was just on a computer screen.

"Hello, Miss Steele." He winked at her.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I was wondering why you asked if I was doing anything this evening." Christian answered.

She furrowed her brow and laughed. "Why didn't you just text me?"

Christian cocked an eyebrow. "You can't hide it this way..."

Anastasia scowled.

"Don't look at me that way. I know that you blow things off even if they're important if you think I'm too busy or don't want to do them."

Anastasia sighed. He was right.

"I was just asking because I was going to have you come with me if you weren't busy. You can come another time."

Christian looked confused. "Why do you want me to come?"

Anastasia chewed her lip and felt her heartrate shoot through the roof. "Dr. Flynn thinks that it's a good time to explain my past to you." She kept her eyes downcast, nervous about his reaction. "Like I said, it doesn't have to be tonight."

"Anastasia...look at me."

Her eyes lifted to the screen and she looked at him. Christian regarded her for a minute with his pointer finger resting on his lips.

"Do you want to do this?" Christian finally asked.

Anastasia chewed her lip and thought about it for a minute. She nodded. "I do. I'm just nervous. It's hard to talk about."

"You can't tell me at home?"

Anastasia's forehead creased with worry. "No, I'd rather do it with Flynn. I want to talk about it in the office and leave it there. I don't want to bring the issue home."

Christian slid his hand through his hair. "I'll cancel the meeting."

"What? Christian, no! Don't be silly. We can do it Friday." Anastasia felt like he was being ridiculous.

"No, I'll change it to the morning. We'll pick you up at five, baby." Christian told her.

"Christian! Work is more important."

"I don't want to wait until Friday. They can wait until tomorrow. I'm not all that thrilled about the Detroit deal anyway."

She sighed. She knew there was no point in fighting with him. Once he made up his mind, no one could get him to change it. Stubborn.

"Fine."

Christian smiled. "See you at five."

XxXxXx **Major trigger warnings. For some, it might be hard to read. Ana will finally explain what happened.**

"Anastasia...why don't you start from the beginning. Christian...just try to stay calm and let her tell her story. Don't interrupt her." Dr. Flynn said as he got comfortable in his chair.

Anastasia nodded and took a deep breath, looking down at the tissue she was playing with in her hands.

"Uh...well...he fought for custody when I was six and by the time I was seven he had paid my mother all the back child support and was able to see me every other weekend. At first, it was fun going to see him, because he was always taking me places that I never went with my mom and my dad...Ray, I mean. Everything was fine for about six months. I thought I was lucky to have two dads.

" I remember him having women over that he called his "friends". He said that after I went to bed, they would go downstairs to play grown-up games. I was curious one weekend and tried to sneak downstairs to see, but he caught me before I got down there and that's when he spanked me for the first time. He then started finding every reason he could to spank me. It was over my pants at first, but then he started pulling them down and then eventually he started touching me other places while he had me over his knee." Anastasia took a deep breath and chewed her lip for a few seconds while her heartrate calmed.

"I didn't tell my parents, because he said it's what I deserved for being bad and that my mother would be so disappointed in me for acting out while I was gone. I didn't want her to know I was getting in trouble so often. It went from there and one day when I was nine, I tried to call my mom after he did it, but he caught me dialing her number and he grabbed me and carried me downstairs. He chained me to this thing on the wall he called the cross...it was two two-by-fours put together to form an X and there were handcuffs attached to each of the ends. He said my punishments weren't working anymore, so he was going to make it worse." Anastasia rubbed her face with both hands, wishing it was already over.

"He said he was going to bring one of his "friends" in to show me how I was going to be punished...and he did...and then he showed me what would happen if I screamed too loud or told my mom and Ray." Anastasia wrapped her arms around herself and looked the other direction, willing herself not to cry.

Christian moved toward her. "No." Flynn told him. "Let her finish."

Anastasia took a deep breath. "When I screamed too much, he used his belt and then locked me in that room on the cross. As it went on, I learned how to turn my wrists a certain way when he cuffed me, so I could slide them out if he decided to leave me there. Then I could sit on the bed and move around instead of being stuck standing there." She cracked her knuckles and chewed on her lip for a minute. The men stayed quiet, trying to give her time.

"The summer when I was eleven...I guess he felt comfortable enough that I wasn't going to tell, that he decided to bring another man in." She heard a growl coming from Christian's end of the couch, but she had to ignore it or she would never finish. Now that the ball was rolling, she didn't want to have to stop it and try to start again.

" He said he owed him a favor or something... well, he cuffed me with my face towards the wall, but I turned my wrists like I usually did so I could get out if I needed...and when they were both behind me and I heard their zippers... I freaked out and slipped out of them...I tried to run for the door, but he caught me and beat the hell out of me. Until then, he always hit my backside...but I moved and he hit my lower back... seeing that the damage was already done...he just...kept going. My back was so sore and bloody...I don't know how I hid it that Monday...but I managed...Tuesday was July 4th and that's when my mother walked in on me. After that I never went back. " Anastasia kept her eyes on her hands, not wanting to look Christian in the face. "My parents don't know about the other man. Please don't..." She shook her head and furrowed her brow, realizing how ridiculous her plea was.

Christian slid over and pulled her to him. "Oh, Ana..."

"Christian...please don't. I explained, you now know...let's move on." Anastasia mentioned, pulling back a bit.

Christian frowned at her.

"Can we go home, now? I want to eat and relax in the tub." Anastasia asked him.

"I don't like that you pulled away from me."

Anastasia sighed. "I'm sorry, Christian. I just don't want to dwell on it. I want to go home and enjoy my night."

Christian searched her face with sad eyes.

Anasasia slid closer to him and took his hands. "Please."

He nodded. "Of course." He looked at Flynn. "Are we done here?"

Dr. Flynn looked worried. "I would feel better if we talked about what you and Ana are feeling right now."

Anastasia scowled. "And I would feel better if I went home and enjoyed dinner and a bath with my fiancé." She stated matter-of-factly, grabbing her purse and standing. She did what Flynn asked and she wasn't willing to give anymore when she felt emotionally raw. It felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest. She just wanted to curl up with Christian and feel protected...from the world, from people, and from her own emotions.

XxXxXx

Christian and Ana sat in a bubble bath, the lights were dimmed and two glasses of wine were sitting in the edge of the tub.

Anastasia was leaning against Christian and sighed. "Thank you for this."

He ducked his head and kissed the skin behind her ear. "You're very welcome. Seemed like you needed to relax."

A small smile tugged at her lips while she played with the bubbles in front of her.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ana? I've never seen you get an attitude like that with anyone." Christian mentioned.

Her smile fell and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry. My emotions were all over and I felt like there was a vice on my chest. I felt like, if I stayed there, my chest could have just caved in."

Christian held her tighter against him. "Oh, Ana...you have no idea how much I understand." He nuzzled into her hair. "I never want you to feel that way again."

"I guess I should apologize to Dr. Flynn on Friday." Anastasia mentioned and turned to face Christian. "Right now, though, I just want to concentrate on us."

Christian cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Anastasia grinned and nodded. "On how I am yours and you are mine. How this," Anastasia gripped his dick and slipped her thumb over the head, feeling it slowly harden, "is mine."

Christian groaned and pulled her body closer, kissing her lips. "Then what's mine?"

She took his hand with her free one and placed it on her chest. "These are yours." She dragged his hand down her body, to her sex. "This is yours."

He hummed and kissed her again as he slipped two fingers into her core. "Mine."


	29. Chapter 29 Part I

**A/N: This chapter ended up more popular than I thought it would...so now I am naming it Chapter 29 Part 1 and will expand on it in the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy.**

Anastasia just returned home from her OBGYN's office and was about to huff off into her room in a tizzy, when Mrs. Jones stopped her. Anastasia tried to keep herself from showing her annoyance with the housekeeper. She was currently on her period, making her hormonal already, but then Christian insisted she let him come to her appointment. It ended up in a fight when she refused, stating that there were some things that she rather him not be a part of. He retorted with reminding her that she was his and he only wanted to support her. She stood her ground and told him that he would not be going. After another twenty minutes of back and forth, she finally agreed to let Sawyer go with her...which was extremely embarrassing.

"Ana...Mr. Grey's father left this for you." Mrs. Jones announced, handing her a manila envelope.

"Carrick? Hmm...thanks Gail." Anastasia chewed her lip and looked at the envelope.

"Would you like something to drink, Ana? You look like you could use something." Gail mentioned, looking a little worried.

Anastasia gave her a small smile. "Yes, that would be lovely, Gail. I think I do need something." She answered, following the housekeeper into the kitchen. Anastasia sat at the breakfast bar while Mrs. Jones poured her some wine that they had opened the previous evening.

While Gail busied herself with the wine, Anastasia opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of papers.

 **Christian Trevelyan Grey, hereinafter referred to as Prospective Husband, and Anastasia Rose Steele, hereinafter referred to as Prospective Wife, hereby agree on this twentieth day of July, in the year 2011, as follows:**

 **1\. Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife contemplate marriage in the near future and wish to establish their respective rights and responsibilities regarding each other's income and property and the income and property that may be acquired, either separately or together, during the marriage.**

 **2\. Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife have made a full and complete disclosure to each other of all of their financial assets and liabilities, as more fully set forth in the accompanying Financial Statements, attached hereto as Exhibits A and B.**

 **3\. Except as otherwise provided below, Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife waive the following rights:**

 **a. To share in each other's estates upon their death.**

 **b. To spousal maintenance, both temporary and permanent.**

 **c. To share in the increase in value during the marriage of the separate property of the parties.**

 **d. To share in the pension, profit sharing, or other retirement accounts of the other.**

 **e. To the division of the separate property of the parties, whether currently held or hereafter acquired.**

 **f. To any claims based on the period of cohabitation of the parties.**

 **4\. Set forth relevant exceptions in Appendix A and any additional provisions in Appendix B**

 **5\. Both Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife are represented by separate and independent legal counsel of their own choosing.**

 **6\. Both Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife have separate income and assets to independently provide for their own respective financial needs.**

 **7\. This agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties and may be modified only in a writing executed by both Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife.**

 **8\. In the event it is determined that a provision of this agreement is invalid because it is contrary to applicable law, that provision is deemed separable from the rest of the agreement, such that the remainder of the agreement remains valid and enforceable.**

 **9\. This agreement is made in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington, and any dispute regarding its enforcement will be resolved by reference to the laws of that state. This agreement will take effect immediately upon the solemnization of the parties' marriage.**

 **I HAVE READ THE ABOVE AGREEMENT, I HAVE TAKEN TIME TO CONSIDER ITS IMPLICATIONS, I FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS, I AGREE TO ITS TERMS, AND I VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT TO ITS EXECUTION.**

 **Prospective Husband**

 **Prospective Wife**

Anastasia took a big swig from the glass that Gail had left for her and turned to Exhibits A and B. Christian's assets were right there in black and white, spanning two pages long. Houses, land, companies, cars, and other toys were listed. Also listed, were his bank accounts and how much were in each one. She felt like she was intruding in Christian's personal business. She glanced away at it, forcing herself not to look at the numbers; it felt wrong to look at his personal accounts. She felt like Carrick was stripping Christian nude and parading him around by putting all of this in black and white. She didn't need to know; it was his money, not hers. She hurried and turned to Exhibit B, expecting it to be almost empty until she realized that the Audi TTS was listed on it; he must have put it in her name. Seeing her one bank account, she saw that it now had $101,234.21 in it. That was about $90,000 too much. She scowled at the number, knowing it was Christian's doing. Other than these two things, she had nothing. Her student loan balance as well as the balance on the car she no longer had were listed in red.

She went to take another swig from the glass and noticed she had already emptied it. Gail, who was getting dinner ready, filled it back up.

"Thank you, Gail."

"Everything okay, Ana?" Mrs. Jones asked, putting the wine back in the fridge.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes, everything is fine. Just trying to wrap my head around all this wedding stuff." She turned back to the front of the prenup, reading the main document again. The first part stated she got nothing...even if he passed away. She didn't mind, but she wondered where all that money would go. Hopefully, he had a will already that stated where he'd like it to go; maybe it would go to his family...maybe some to various charities that he was actively participating in.

 _Exceptions and Provisions..._ She wouldn't even know what to put there. Maybe that he wouldn't allow her to live on the streets while she tried to find a home and a new job if he decided to get rid of her? She snorted at the thought. She couldn't imagine Christian being so cruel. Maybe that she would be allowed to keep her job at SIP, soon to be Grey Publishing, if he tossed her? She knew she probably wouldn't want to stay there, but it would be nice to have a job while she looked for another.

 _Both Prospective Husband and Prospective Wife are represented by separate and independent legal counsel of their own choosing._ Well, she certainly didn't have that...not that she really needed one. She didn't have anything to fight for...but even if she did, she wouldn't want to fight for it. She wished she did have something so that she could share it with Christian. She felt inadequate coming in with nothing, but student loans that she was still trying to pay off...and probably would be for awhile. She wasn't about to use the money he put in her account to do that. She wanted to do it on her own. She was already working and not paying for anything. Christian had bought her a car, her clothes...she didn't pay rent or for food...maybe these were things she should speak to him about. Maybe they should come up with an agreement on how much she pays for these things.

Something suddenly occurred to her. What if they had children? She wasn't worried about her...but what happens if they have children and something happens to Christian? Maybe she should talk to him about having something for them set up that states the children get so much when they turn a certain age if he passes. Perhaps she was being silly. They didn't even have children at the moment...it might be something they should talk about when the time comes...she would ask and see how he felt.

"Is Mr. Grey at work, Gail?" Anastasia asked, as she straightened the papers.

"Yes, he said he has to work a little late tonight." Gail answered.

Anastasia nodded, feeling a little relieved. She decided she would send him an email. It was much less embarrassing that way. She hopped off her chair to go retrieve her laptop and came back to send him an email.

 _Mr. Grey,_

 _I received the document your father left with Mrs. Jones today and I have a few questions and recommendations._

 _First, I wanted to know if I should get a lawyer. Number 5 on the front page states that we both have our own lawyers...but I don't have one. I don't really have anything to fight for anyway, so I'm not sure that I really need one. However, if you think I should have one, then I will try to find one._

 _Second, I noticed that my "assets" are basically non-existent and that yours are never ending... Seeing this, I realized that I'm not bringing anything into this relationship and perhaps I need to start paying a little bit of my dues...even if I can only do a little. I don't pay for anything, but my student loans and the car that I no longer have. I would like us to set something up that explains what my responsibility is each month. I know that I probably can't afford the utilities at Escala, but I can certainly pay something and then pay for groceries maybe? We'll talk about this more in depth later._

 _Third, I wondered if we could talk about what would happen if you wanted a divorce. I wanted to know if it was possible that I be allowed to keep my position at your company until I found another. It would be difficult to move out and pay for an apartment or a house if I have no income. To be honest, I'm just a little worried about having no where to go. Of course, I suppose that isn't your problem after we divorce, is it? Anyway...I was just wondering if I could keep my position just long enough to find something else._

 _Lastly, I wanted to inquire about the whole child issue. I know it states that I won't receive anything if we're divorced or if you pass away and I am absolutely fine with that...but I was wondering what would happen if we had children and you passed? I am not sure if you want to speak about this now or wait until the time comes...but perhaps something could be arranged or put in writing that if we do have children and you pass, that they receive something when they turn a certain age?_

 _I hope you don't think this is my way of postponing signing the prenup. I am more than willing to sign it now; all you have to do is say so. I am only marrying you because I want to be with you...not your money. Also, I saw what you did to my bank account...and I'm a bit annoyed...and I don't care whose name the Audi is in. If something happens between us, it stays here._

 _I love you._

 _Ana X_

Anastasia took a deep breath and re-read it. It certainly didn't sound official or professional...but she didn't much care. She just wanted to get some things off her chest and she's never been in a situation where she needed legal guidance before. She knew Christian would help her and be understanding. She didn't want to speak to Carrick about it; he didn't seem to like her very much since she and Christian started their relationship. Before she could change her mind, she hit send. She closed her laptop just as Gail was setting her place. Anastasia placed the document back in the manila envelope and set the envelope and the laptop on the chair next to her.

She was halfway through her salmon when she heard the elevator ding and Christian came stomping in with a frown on his face.

Her eyebrows shot up. "Christian? Are you alright?"

"What the fuck did you send me? This is a joke right?" Christian spat, his face becoming redder by the second.

"Uh...no? I'm sorry...I shouldn't have...I just...no...I'll sign the papers as soon as I'm done eating. Everything is fine the way it is." Anastasia sputtered, taken aback and a little frightened.

"No, Anastasia! Where are the papers?" Christian barked.

Anastasia's fork dropped to her plate with a clatter and she reached into the seat next to her. "They're right here. I'll sign them now! I'm sorry!" She picked them up and he grabbed them away from her, making her wince.

"Christian...you're scaring me."

Christian's glare softened and his shoulders that were squared, relaxed. "Oh, Ana. I'm sorry. I'm not angry with you." He stepped toward her chair and hugged her from behind while she sat, and kissed her head. "I'm angry with my father. I didn't approve this. I didn't know anything about it. I don't want you signing anything my father gives to you. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He kissed her hair again. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a phone call to make. Finish your dinner, Anastasia. I'll be out soon."

XxXxXx

"There you are." Christian stated, entering the bathroom and seeing Anastasia in a bubble bath.

"You disappeared an hour ago."

Christian frowned. "I know. I'm sorry. Talking to my father took longer than I expected." He sat on the side of the bath and looked down at her. "We won't have any issues going forward. I had a long talk with my father and he understands now. He was just being overprotective."

Anastasia frowned. "He doesn't like me, does he?"

"It has nothing to do with him not liking you, Ana. He adores you...he told me himself. He's just worried because he's my father. That's what fathers do. You're young and this type of relationship is new for both of us and he's worried that we are moving too fast." Christian explained.

"Are we?"

"In my opinion, we're not moving fast enough. If it were up to me, we'd already be married. I knew a wedding would be important to you and our moms, though." Christian mentioned, reaching his hand in the tub and playing with the bubbles.

"More our mothers than me." Anastasia giggled at the memory of Grace and Carla going with her to find a dress just days prior. She must have tried on twenty dresses trying to please both of them, even though they ended up going with the second one she tried on. "They were a little...overbearing at the gown appointment...drove my bridal consultant crazy."

Christian smiled fondly at Anastasia and held out his hand so she'd hold it. "I wish I could see your dress, Anastasia."

"You will...in ten days." Anastasia's eyes widened at the realization. "Oh, holy cow."

Christian laughed. "Ten days until your Mrs. Grey." He entwined their fingers. "I cannot wait."

"Are you going to tell me where we're honeymooning?" Anastasia asked. He still hadn't told her where he planned on taking her.

"In ten days, Anastasia." She glared at him, making him grin. "I will tell you that you'll need your passport though."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "That hardly narrows it down."

"You'll need swimwear...I might even let you take a couple bikinis..." Christian teased.

"Oh, really? Is marriage going to calm that jealousy of yours?" Anastasia teased back.

Christian snorted. "Doubt it...but, knowing they'll never see you again helps."

Anastasia giggled and pushed herself up, ready to get out of the bath. Christian stood and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her once she stepped out.

She leaned up and kissed him. "Thank you. Why don't you go pick out something for me to sleep in while I finish up in here?" She asked, trying to find a polite way of getting him to leave so she could grab a tampon.

He grinned. "I like when you let me choose your clothes, Anastasia...but don't think I don't know that you're trying to shoo me away."

Anastasia's face reddened while he stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Once she was finished in the bathroom, she came out, looking for Christian. She found him sitting on the end of the bed with one of his t-shirts thrown over his shoulder.

He stood and grinned at her. "You look so lovely after a bath, Anastasia. Your skin is so warm and pink." He met her halfway and ran his hands down her naked sides. "Just beautiful."

She blushed and bit her bottom lip. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get use to his compliments.

He grabbed his t-shirt off his shoulder and she automatically put her arms up so he could slip it over her body. He kissed her once and turned toward the bed and grabbed something off of it. She realized it was a pair of light pink cotton panties.

"I want you to be comfortable tonight." Christian told her when he saw her eyebrow raise in question. He crouched down and held them open for her. Using his shoulders to keep herself steady, she slipped her feet into the legs and let him pull them up her legs. Once he had them situated, he gave her another kiss. "I love you, baby."

She grinned. "I love you, too...and thank you for thinking of my comfort. It's very sweet." Anastasia leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his lips before she turned and climbed into the bed that he had already turned down. She noticed Christian grinning at her.

"What?"

Christian chuckled and shook his head. "I think there are eighty year olds that go to bed later than you do."

Anastasia scowled at him. "I like to read before I go to bed, Mr. Grey. It relaxes me."

His grin faded and a look of worry appeared on his face. "You know that I would never leave you without a place to live, don't you?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

"I know." Anastasia searched his face, hoping to calm his worry. She didn't want to talk about it.

He sighed and leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to go eat dinner. I'll be in soon."

"I'll be here." Anastasia mentioned burrowing deeper under the covers.

He grinned. "I'm sure you will."


	30. Chapter 29 Part II

**Chapter 29 Part 2.**

Christian entered the bedroom quietly, shutting the door behind him and stepping lightly across the floor. Anastasia knew he was trying not to bother her while she read, but she couldn't help watching him as he moved around quietly, stripping for bed. She waited until he was down to his boxer-briefs before speaking.

"You look mighty fine, Mr. Grey." Anastasia mentioned, looking over her book at him.

His head snapped up and a grin slowly formed on his face. "And here I thought you were reading." He commented, slipping out of his boxer-briefs and into some pajama pants. Anastasia bit her lip as she watched him.

"Anastasia...stop biting that lip. If you aren't going to read, I want to speak with you." Christian climbed into bed and laid his arm out across the pillows, signaling for her to curl up to him.

"I could tell from your face that you didn't want to talk about what you said in that email...and I tried to drop it, but I can't. My father was completely wrong for making that prenup and giving it to you without my knowledge. He did it out of anger about the Elena thing. He was mad at me for never telling them and letting it happen and he was angry at you for knowing about it and not telling them." Christian sighed. "We talked for a long time, but I still don't feel completely comfortable with the issue. I think it would be best if we kept our guard up for awhile around him." Christian mentioned, wrapping a piece of her hair around his index finger.

"Why would he think that I would betray your trust to tell them about what happened? I'm here to support you...to fight for you. Like I told Elena... I'll never stop fighting for you. Telling them would be fighting against you." Anastasia was annoyed to find that Carrick was angry with her for that reason and for thinking she should ever betray Christian. Hadn't he betrayed Christian by going behind his back and slipping her the prenup? Look how well that ended.

Christian nuzzled her hair. "I appreciate it, baby." He smoothed her hair down and turned his head, laying his cheek against the top of her head. "I've never seen a prenup so harsh. You read that thinking I approved? What went through your mind while you read it? I don't like that you think that I would do that to you."

Anastasia shrugged against him. "I didn't think anything, but what I aent you in that email. It's your money and your things. Not mine. I didn't do anything to deserve any of it. It is your right to protect everything you've worked so hard for."

Christian sighed. "You deserve everything... I want you to have what's mine. I want to give you the world, Anastasia."

"I just want you, Christian." Anastasia said quietly, her fingers tracing the contours of his stomach muscles.

"It's all part of me, baby. If you're going to marry me, you're going to have to get use to it. I won't have this mine and yours shit. Everything will be ours."

"Does that mean I'll get to drive the R8?" Anastasia giggled, unable to help it. She knew that the R8 and Charlie Tango were his babies.

Christian laughed. "Uh...maybe I'll just get you your own."

Anastasia laughed harder. "I had a feeling that would be a negative. You wouldn't even let me get a gift out of it."

He smiled down at her as she laughed. "God, I love you."

"Almost as much at your R8?" Anastasia cheeked.

He scowled playfully at her and tickled her ribs lightly, making her squeak.

"Seriously though, Ana...I don't want you worrying about what is going to happen if we divorce. I'm never going to let you go. You are my lifeline, baby. I need you. Losing you would be like...like losing my heart. I'd just be a shell without you." Christian admitted, pouring his heart out to her.

"Oh, Christian..." Anastasia leaned up on her elbow and kissed him deeply, cupping the side of his face. She looked down at him and rubbed her fingers over his stubble. It always amazed her how fast his facial hair could grow throughout the day. A small smile formed on her face.

"Christian...where are you taking me?" Anastasia asked again, wanting to know where they were going for their honeymoon. It had been bugging her since he announced that he had it planned already.

Christian sighed and eyed her. "You really want to ruin the surprise?"

Anastasia's eyes widened when she realized he might actually tell her. "The suspence is killing me! I want to know where the first place I'll be known as Mrs. Grey will be. Not only that...it'll be our first vacation together. I want to know." She tried to persuade him.

He shrugged. "Okay...you win. We're going to Europe."

Anastasia's eyes widened even further and her mouth dropped open. "Europe?" She breathed out. "Really? As in England...France...Italy?"

He nodded. "I heard you tell Mia how much you wanted to go. I hope Europe is okay?"

She felt tears fill her eyes. "It's more than okay! It's...it's perfect!" She grabbed his face and kissed him hard. "Europe?" She asked him again. "You are just incredible!" She squealed and threw herself against him, squeezing herself to him. He chuckled and rubbed her back up and down.

"This is why I want to give you the world. I want to see you like this every day."

"As long as you're by my side, I'm happy Christian. But I can't deny I'm ecstatic about Europe! Oh, I can't wait! I get you all to myself and get to go on my dream vacation..." Anastasia grinned.

"It's also worth mentioning that our fucking is going international, baby." Christian reached down and squeezed her ass.

"Sex in France? Oui s'il vous plaît!" Anastasia answered.

"Très bien, baby. I didn't know you spoke French."

Anastasia laughed. "Very little. I took German in high school. I wish I took French. It's much sexier than German. German always sounds like you're coughing something nasty up."

"French can be that way, too." Christian told her.

"You speak French fluently?" Anastasia asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. Mia and I speak French. Elliot speaks Spanish." Christian answered.

"Of course you do. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Speak German. Cook." Christian pouted, holding out his hand for her to see. There was now a scar on the pad of his middle finger.

"Aw...baby...here." Anastasia grabbed his hand and brought his finger to her mouth, kissing it gently. "All better."

Christian gave her a boyish grin. "I like when you baby me."

"I know you do. I like to baby the strong, dominant businessman. I get to see a part of you no one else gets to."

XxXxXx

"Anastasia! Why did you have to pick this color? I look terrible in pink!" Kate complained from behind the door of the dressing room.

Anastasia sighed. "It's light pink. You'll be fine. Just come out!"

Christian and Anastasia each picked a color for the wedding. Christian picked navy blue and Anastasia picked a light pink. At the moment, the boys, (which included Christian, Elliot, Ray, Carrick, Jose, Ethan, Taylor, and Sawyer) were across the building, trying on their tuxes. Christian insisted that Taylor and Sawyer match and have brand new tuxes for the wedding.

The girls (which included Anastasia, Kate, Mia, Grace, and Carla) had only been there for a half an hour and Anastasia was already over it. Kate and Mia could not agree on anything and Kate kept complaining about the color. Anastasia was about to give up and tell them to wear whatever they wanted, when Kate came out of the dressing room, looking stunning.

Kate had on a light rose metallic bridesmaid dress that was floor length, had a slit up the side, and a lace bodice.

"Oh, Kate! You look wonderful!" Carla gushed, rushing forward to mess with the dress.

"I do?" Kate asked, her shoulders suddenly squaring as her confidence increased.

Anastasia nodded. "You do!"

Mia let out an excited squeal. "We're going to look hot, Kate! I knew these would look perfect for the wedding! I'm going to go look at the shoes!" She scurried off and Anastasia grinned after her. She felt a large weight come off her shoulders knowing that both girls had agreed on something.

There was a wolf whistle behind Anastasia and she turned to see the men in their navy blue tux's. Elliot made his way to Kate, his gaze never leaving her body.

"You look beautiful, Kate! Maybe I'll get lucky and get to take home one of the bridesmaids..." Elliot flirted, kissing her.

Kate gave him a smirk. "Depends on how drunk I get...you do look incredible in this tux, Mr. Grey." She mentioned, running a finger down the light pink tie.

Anastasia scrunched her nose at the two, turning to look at Christian for the first time. The breath caught in her throat seeing him in his navy blue tux with a light pink tie, his platinum Rolex peeking out while he unbuttoned the third button the jacket. He looked good enough to eat.

She made her way to him and he watched her as she reached up and slid her hands down the lapels of his jacket. "You look mighty fine, future husband."

The tip of his tongue appeared as he licked his lower lip. He gripped her hips. "My future wife approves?"

Anastasia nodded. "Oh, yes." She breathed out, pressing her thighs together.

"Don't bite that lip." He mentioned, running his thumb over her bottom lip. His eyes scanned the room, making sure everyone else was preoccupied, before he looked back down at her. "The next time I put this on, you'll become my Mrs. Grey."

Anastasia wet her lips and nodded. "And then I'll be taking it off." She mentioned, slipping her palms down the front of his jacket.

She heard him groan. "Fuck, Ana. This wedding can't come fast enough."

She grinned up at him and leaned up to kiss him. "This is the last Saturday you'll be single. What are you and the boys planning to do this evening?"

Christian smirked and leaned into her ear. "I don't know what they're planning to do, but I'm planning on taking you home and burying myself inside of you."

Anastasia gasped. "But your bachelor party is tonight."

"It'll just have to wait. And so will yours. I think we can spare a half an hour. I want to claim you."

Anastasia whimpered. "I want that, too."

Christian wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him, his other hand cupping her face, as he pressed his lips to hers. She reached up and buried both of her hands in his hair, pulling his head closer.

There were catcalls and they untangled themselves.

"You two are so cute!" Mia gushed.

"Did you just kiss in your wedding attire?" Elliot teased. "Isn't that bad luck to do before the wedding?"

Anastasia's eyes widened at the thought and Christian scowled at his older brother. Elliot grinned widely at Christian.

"He's kidding, Anastasia. Don't listen to him." Grace urged, smacking Elliot's arm.

Anastasia worried her lip. She knew it was an old wives tale, but it still made her nervous. She wanted everything to go as smooth as possible that day and she also wanted to suck up all the luck she could for the marriage.

"I'm going to go get changed. Taylor...take Miss Steele and I home while the others wait for Kate's and Mia's dresses to be done. Sawyer...you stay with the others." Christian commanded on his way back to the opposite end of the building. After a beat and looking at the others, Anastasia followed Christian and Taylor went to grab the Audi.

"Don't you think that it's kind of obvious why we're leaving, now?" Anastasia asked, embarrassed.

"I don't much care. I need you." Christian stated before closing the door to his dressing room, leaving Anastasia on the other side.

XxXxXx

"Oh, Christian! Don't stop!" Anastasia begged as he held her against the shower wall, thrusting into her. She gripped his shoulders and threw her head back as her orgasm flooded through her, making her cry out.

"Fuck, Ana!" Christian grunted. "So good, baby."

He leaned against her and pinned her in place while they caught their breaths. When his heartrate slowed, he kissed her and stood up straight, lowering her back down.

"Finish your shower, baby. I'm going to get dressed. Your parents are probably here by now. I'll go entertain them. The others will be here soon. Hurry."

Anastasia turned to face the spray and Christian took the opportunity and smacked her left butt cheek.

She gasped and stuck her butt out a little. "The right side feels neglected."

Christian growled and did the same to the right, making Anastasia moan. "My little sex kitten." He stepped up and squeezed her ass with both hands. "You're incredible." He whispered in her ear, then kissed it before stepping away and opening the shower door.

"You've got ten minutes." Christian announced before shutting the glass door behind him.

Anastasia hurried to wash, hoping to catch Christian while he dressed. When she stepped into the bedroom she saw him buttoning up his light blue button up.

"Christian?"

"That was fast. What's up, baby?" He asked, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows and then grabbing his Rolex to put on.

"I wanted to talk to you about tonight...I know that you don't care much for Jose...but I wanted to ask if you could try to be nice to him?" She started to wring her hands. "Hopefully, you two won't have to talk much with my dad and Ethan around...but...I don't know...I just worry...I want you two to get along and-"

"Anastasia...baby, stop." Her eyebrows shot up and he took a step toward her and put his hands on her upper arms. "I promise to be on my best behavior. It'll be much easier to get along when you aren't there."

Anastasia smiled. "Thank you."

Christian kissed her. "You are welcome. Now...get ready. Everyone will be here soon. I'll leave Sawyer here with you."

Anastasia frowned. "Why? Won't you need him since you guys are going out to eat? We're just going to the spa until we meet up with you later."

"Sawyer is your bodyguard, Ana. He'll stay with you girls and drive you to the club at nine. Don't let Mia choose your dress." Christian told her.

She giggled at the thought. If it were up to Mia, Anastasia would be practically naked. She wondered how Christian was going to deal with Mia showing so much skin around so many men. He'd only seen Mia after she came home. Anastasia looked him over, wondering what she should wear to match him. He had a light blue button down, dark gray slacks and his Prada shoes. She frowned. She hated when he wore his Prada shoes because they made him even taller...as if he wasn't tall enough. She'd have to pull out one of her higher pair of heels for later. He did look incredible though...not that he didn't always look that way. A part of her wished she could go with them so that she could put any woman in her place if her gaze lingered longer than socially acceptable...which, to Anastasia, was about 0.05 seconds.

"Stop staring. Get dressed." Christian commanded. He shut the door behind him and she stuck her tongue out at the door before heading into their closet.


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: Sanjana convinced me to open a pinterest for thi story. Username NineN3Quarters. Put in the regular URL for pinterest and then add /NineN3Quarters. It has some wedding stuff on there too.**

While Anastasia waited for Mia and Grace to arrive, she went in search of Mrs. Jones. She knocked on the door to their wing of the apartment and Gail answered almost immediately.

"Ana! Is everything alright? Is there something I can get for you?" Mrs. Jones asked.

"I'm fine, Gail. I was actually just wondering if you'd come to the spa with us. We're having my bachelorette party and I'd really like you to be there." Anastasia explained, hoping she'd come.

"Oh! Well...I'm not sure if Mr. Grey would appreciate that." Gail mentioned, looking unsure.

"Don't be silly, Gail. He won't mind. Taylor is with him and he said he was going to have him sit and celebrate with the rest of them. It isn't any different with you, really. I'd really like it if you'd come." Anastasia pleaded.

Mrs. Jones eyed her for a moment and Anastasia stuck her lip out, making Mrs. Jones laugh. "Oh, alright...you talked me into it. What should I wear?"

Anastasia grinned. "Oh, great! Wear whatever is comfortable, Gail. We'll be changing into robes there. We're getting the royal spa treatment, compliments of Mr. Grey."

Gail laughed. "Alright, Ana. Give me ten minutes."

Anastasia nodded. "No problem!" She smiled at Gail once more and headed in to sit with Kate and Carla. She was glad that Gail had decided to come, because she planned on asking her all along. She knew if she asked her too early, Gail would find a reason to back out. Anastasia had ordered cream colored silk robes about two weeks ago for this occasion. On the back, she had their names written. On hers though, she had bride written. She knew the girls could wear them again on her wedding day.

XxXxXx

"Oh, Ana! You sneaky thing!" Gail admonished as she opened her box with her robe in it. All the girls had just made it to the spa, which was closed for the private party and where they each had their own assistant.

Anastasia grinned at her. "I knew you'd try to get out of coming if I told you too soon. I wanted you to enjoy this, too."

"Ana...you and Christian spoil us!" Carla gushed, holding the robe against her. "Ray will like this."

"Ew, Mom. Just...ew." Anastasia grimaced, shaking her head.

"Champagne ladies?" One of the consultants named Lemont asked. "Would any of you like some fruit?...and I'm not talking about me!"

Anastasia's eyes widened. Did he just call himself a fruit? She snorted into her Bollinger champagne.

"This champagne is incredible!" Kate mentioned, downing hers and holding out her flute for more.

"Nothing beats a good Bollinger!" Ana recited, and the other girls looked at her. She laughed. "At least that's what Christian says."

The girls spent the next three hours getting massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, waxes, and haircuts. They then got their hair styled and their makeup done for later that evening. Anastasia's and Christian's parents decided to forego Christian's club, who catered to the younger crowd, and decided to go out dancing at a jazz club. Anastasia tried to convince Gail to come to the club with her, Kate, and Mia but she refused, stating she just wanted to look good for when Taylor came home.

Once they were dolled up, the girls surprised Ana with a personal shower.

Anastasia's mom got her a vintage white babydoll with lace cups and a bow set to the side; the bottom was sheer.

"Oh, Mom! It's beautiful!" Anastasia grinned. Christian was going to die when he saw this.

"I wasn't sure if you had lingerie for the wedding night, but I figured it was too gorgeous to pass up." Carla mentioned.

Anastasia shook her head. "No, I didn't have anything planned. It's perfect." Truth be told, Christian told her not to plan on changing into anything, because he would be too impatient for that. He told her he was going to peel her dress off of her and throw her on the bed. Well, this was too beautiful to waste. He could wait another two minutes while she slipped it on. It would give her a chance to freshen up, too.

Grace got her a red silk robe and panties that both said 'Mrs. Grey' in gray lettering on the back. Anastasia grinned.

"Christian is going to love these." Anastasia mentioned. "Thank you, Grace!"

Grace smiled. "He seems to have this obsession with you being his Mrs. Grey...so I thought it was fitting."

Anastasia nodded. "Very fitting."

Kate got Anastasia a plum lacy bra with matching crotchless panties. Anastasia laughed.

"Easy access." Kate mentioned, grinning.

Anastasia shook her head. "Did you come up with this or did Elliot?"

Kate grinned. "He might have helped a little."

Mia's was last and she handed her the box. Anastasia shook it and was surprised to hear it jingling. She cocked an eyebrow at Mia.

Mia smirked. "Just open it."

Anastasia pulled off the wrapping paper and looked in the box. Her eyes widened at the contents.

"What is it?" Kate asked, intrigued.

Anastasia reached into the box and held out the metal handcuffs, making Kate's and Carla's smiles disappear. Her eyes lifted to her mother's.

"Is there something wrong?" Mia asked, worried.

Anastasia shook her head, gathering her thoughts. "No, no. Everything is fine. They're...lovely." She didn't know what to call them.

"Read the inscription on the side." Mia urged, grinning.

Anastasia inspected the handcuffs and saw that on the side it said 'Mine'. She smiled. "Mine..." She laughed. "He will love these. Thank you Mia."

"You're welcome...there's something else in the box, though."

Anastasia looked in and pulled out the other item. "Edible panties?" She asked, laughing.

Mia giggled and shrugged. "Christian seems to have this thing about eating and then about you...so I figured... maybe we could combine the two."

Kate snorted. "No offense, but I don't think he needs those to combine the two..."

Anastasia's eyes widened and she hid her bright red face in her hands. "Kate! Our mothers are here!" She admonished behind her hands.

Grace laughed. "Ana...you two are adults...we aren't naïve enough to believe you two aren't having sex."

"But that does not mean I want to discuss what he does...or does not do in bed! Let alone in front of you two! I need more champagne..."

XxXxXx

"I cannot believe I'm going to wear this..." Anastasia said, aloud. "Christian is going to freak out."

She stood in the back room of the spa while the others were getting dressed. She already had her dress on and was looking in the full length mirror. She was wearing a flowy white dress that fell to her mid-thigh; it had a belt that clasped in front, showing a big silver bow. She had a small tiara on her head with a small veil coming out the back of it and her hair was big and curly. She was wearing the same gun-metal gray heels she wore the first night he tied her up. She felt as if she looked like a porn star. It had taken Kate and Mia a week to convince her to wear the dress, stating that it was her last outing as a free woman and that the white would be perfect for the bachelorette theme. If Christian wouldn't have been there, she wouldn't have had the guts to wear it.

Grace nodded. "He is. I'm honestly glad I'm going to miss it."

Anastasia blew out a big breath. "He told me not to allow Mia to pick my dress...I hadn't mentioned I already had it. I knew he'd want me to show him...Oh, I'm terrible. Maybe I should just go home and put on one of my fit and flare dresses like he likes."

"You will do no such thing! You love this dress! You will wear it and if he gives you grief, he'll have to answer to me!" Kate said, sternly.

Anastasia facepalmed and shook her head. _Right._ Like Kate's outburst would do any good in the situation.

There was a knock on the door and, after making sure everyone was dressed, Anastasia opened it to find Sawyer.

He eyed her outfit and cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Miss Steele, it's almost nine. Mr. Gray is requesting your presence at 'The Mile High Club'. Mr. Grey Senior and Mr. Steele are here to collect Mrs. Grey and Miss Wilks." Sawyer announced.

Anastasia nodded. "Alright, Sawyer. Let us just grab our stuff."

XxXxXx

Anastasia, Mia, and Kate stepped out of the elevator with Sawyer leading them through the club. Since it was Saturday night, it was extremely crowded and Anastasia instantly felt a bit claustrophobic. She promised herself that no matter how much Mia drank this evening, that she would not play mother. This was her and Christian's night and she didn't want to spend half the night holding Mia's hair back as she puked into the toilet.

"What do we have here? A bachelorette party? Come here, sugar. Let's have some fun while you still can." A man called out, grabbing for Anastasia's hand. She gripped onto the back of Sawyer's jacket and he put his arm between her and the blonde man.

"Step away from Miss Steele." Sawyer warned.

"Who are you? Her boyfriend?" The blonde asked, snorting.

"I'm her bodyguard. I am trained to hurt you. I would suggest you back off." Sawyer threatened. Anastasia's eyes widened.

The blonde man rolled his eyes, but then turned away, murmuring to himself.

They continued their way to one of the roped off corners and Anastasia smiled when she saw the boys sitting on the couches. She wasn't looking forward to Christian's reaction to her dress, but she was looking forward to seeing him. She knew they'd only been apart for a little while, but she was feeling rather possessive at the moment.

Christian's head turned and he grinned when he saw them coming. His grin faded and his eyes widened once he got a look at her outfit. His eyes then narrowed and became ice cold gray. Anastasia smiled nervously back at him as they climbed the few steps. Christian stood and Sawyer unhooked the velvet rope, talking in Christian's ear while the girls made their way through.

Christian reached out and grabbed Anastasia's wrist, forcing her to stop and wait while Sawyer and he finished talking. The music was loud and filled with bass, making it impossible for her to hear their conversation. She had a feeling that Sawyer was telling him about the blonde. She watched as Sawyer hooked the rope and Christian gave him a nod, signaling that the conversation was over. Sawyer took his spot beside Taylor, standing in front of the velvet rope.

Christian rounded on Anastasia.

"What the fuck are you wearing?! I told you not to allow my sister to pick your dress! What are you thinking?! You have lingerie that covers more than this does! And those fuck me heels?! Are you insane?!" Christian barked into her ear.

Anastasia's forehead creased. "Don't you like it?"

Christian clenched his jaw. "Of course I do...you look incredible...but that's not the point! I don't want any other man getting a look at you. Why did you do this?! You know my issues, Ana!"

Anastasia worried her lip. "It's my bachelorette party. I wanted to. I would have never had the guts to wear it if you weren't here. I knew I'd be with you and that you wouldn't let anything happen...and...well I wore the heels on purpose...for you. I wanted to remind you of that night."

His eyes softened and he sighed. "You are never wearing this out again."

She shook her head. "I won't."

"You are mine, Anastasia." Christian reminded, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her.

She smiled, knowing the battle was over. "All yours."

XxXxXx

Half drunk on Cristal, the girls went down to dance in front of the rope with the rest of the club, leaving the boys on the couch, watching. The girls swayed back and forth dancing and giggling and Anastasia looked up at Kate and saw her eyes widen. Before she could turn, she felt an arm go around her waist.

"Hello, sugar! Don't have your bodyguard with you now, do yuh? Let's dance."

Anastasia pulled on his arm, to try and get away, but the blonde held tight.

"No! Get away from me you prick!" Anastasia yelled, trying to pull herself free.

Christian and Sawyer appeared, Christian pulling her out of the man's grasp and pushing her behind him. "She said no! Get the fuck out! Don't come back."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" The blonde man asked.

"I am the owner and you just happened to be hitting on my fiancé. I want you out. Don't make me remove you by force." Christian growled, staring the man down.

The blonde man continued to stare back. The man was obviously trying to call Christian's bluff. Keeping his eyes on the man, Christian beckoned Taylor over with two fingers.

"Sir?"

"I want him gone." Christian answered.

"Yes, sir." Taylor grabbed one arm and Sawyer grabbed the other. Together they pushed their way through the crowd of dancers and to the elevator.

Christian turned and cupped Anastasia's face. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I am fine. Thank you."

"If you hadn't worn that dress..." Christian started.

Anastasia snorted. "I don't think it was the dress, I think it was this ridiculous thing on my head. He noticed we were a bachelorette party."

Christian reached up and slipped the comb that held the small tiara and white veil out of her hair. He smoothed down her hair, fixing the part. "I'd rather wait a week and see you with your real veil on. I plan on taking that one off, too." He mentioned, wrapping his arm around her.

She grinned and slipped her index fingers into his belt loops, pulling him closer. "Mr. Grey...you can take everything off of me that day."

He groaned and leaned his head against hers. "This week is going to be hell. Especially with your parents and José staying all week."

Anastasia laughed. "At least we have enough beds now that we know Mom and Dad are back together. No more couch."

"Fuck that. I would have put them up in the hotel before I did that again." Christian told her.

She smiled and shook her head. "Oh, you. Just dance with me."

Taylor and Sawyer came back and he handed Sawyer her veil before pulling her against him. She turned away from him and pressed her back against him, grinding into him. His lips went to her ear, his teeth grazing her earlobe that housed her diamond stud earrings, before continuing lower, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck. She hummed and reached behind her as they moved back and forth to the music and slipped her hand into his hair. She tilted her head, hoping he would continue and opened her eyes. Her eyes caught Elena Lincoln's, who was staring right at her. Her whole body stiffened and stilled, startling Christian.

"What is it?" He noticed her stare and followed it. "Holy fuck. Why the hell...oh fuck no. Anastasia...let's go back to VIP." Christian urged. Anastasia noticed she was standing between two brunettes who were staring, as well. "Ana! Come."

Anastasia broke the eye contact and looked at Christian, who looked nervous. She quickly took his hand and they made their way behind the velvet curtain. He stopped and leaned in to speak to Taylor, but refused to let go of her hand. Again, she had to stand there while he spoke to security.

Once they made their way back to the couch, he pulled her into his lap and held her tight, nuzzling into her neck. "Christian...who were those other women?" Anastasia asked. He looked up at her, his face looking pained. Her heart started to race.

"Please do not tell me those are your subs." Anastasia's heart clenched painfully.

"Were." He corrected, frowning.

"That horrible...bitch troll! So she's doing this on purpose! I don't want to see those...those...spineless whores!" Anastasia spat, letting her anger get the best of her.

"Hey! Easy...that's offensive to me. I wouldn't sleep with whores."

Anastasia sighed, trying to gain control. "I'm sorry. It's just hard having to see women you've been with. According to my brain, you didn't have a history before me. It's sickening knowing that they know what you look like...know how you feel...Knowing that they gave you pleasure I can't." She wiped a tear off her cheek.

"I'm sorry, baby. I can't imagine how I'd feel in that position. You are the only one that matters. The only one I want and need. You give me more pleasure than all of them combined." Christian urged, trying to calm her.

Anastasia snorted, not believing him.

"It's true. I was so closed off before. It's incredible the difference when it's emotional; it feels so much better. Please, believe me. I swear...if I could go back and erase my memory, I would." Christian held her tight and kissed her temple, her cheek, her chin. Anastasia couldn't help, but grin.

"You'd obliviate your mind for me?" She asked, playing with the buttons on his chest.

"Yes...whatever the hell that is..." Christian answered, confused.

Anastasia laughed. "Sorry...inner nerd coming out...a book reference. A way to erase memories."

Christian grinned. "I'll take laughing Anastasia over crying, anyday. So, nerd it up, baby."

Anastasia giggled. "You are too much, Mr. Grey."

"You always were insatiable, Miss Steele. I'm sure you can handle it." He answered, reaching under her white material and squeezing her backside, before letting his hand rest there.

"Christian!" Anastasia whispered. "We are in public!"

He shrugged. "So? Nothing is showing."

"Yea...like your hand that is very obviously up my dress!" Anastasia stared at him wide-eyed.

"Relax. No one cares. You're mine and I'll touch you how I want. If I knew you wouldn't pull away from me, my hand would be between your legs." Christian whispered into her ear. Anastasia bit her lip, her thighs clenching at the thought, making Christian chuckle against her ear. The sound resonated down her ear canal, making her whole body shiver.

"Do you want me, Anastasia?" Christian's voiced whispered into her ear, sounding husky. She wriggled in his lap and turned her head to look at him, nodding. He leaned in and ran his nose down the length of hers, kissing her gently.

"Soon, baby." He answered against her lips. He searched her face. "Can you stay quiet enough to do it while your parents are asleep?"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Am I _that_ loud?"

The edges of Christian's lips turned up into a smirk. "You don't even realize..." He shook his head and wet his lips. "Even when you aren't moaning or speaking...you make these little mewling sounds that go straight to my dick. It's fucking incredible."

Anastasia's face burnt crimson and she tried to hide it behind her hands. "How do I not know I do that?" She asked, embarrassed.

Christian pulled her hands away from her face and gave her an amused smile. "Well...now you know. Please don't dwell on it so much that you stop. It's so fucking sexy." He mentioned, flexing his hips just enough so she could feel his erection.

"God, I need you." He growled into her ear.

She nodded. "Can we go home now?"

XxXxXx

The group stepped into the elevator, Christian immediately going to the corner and pulling Anastasia against the front of him while the others stood staggered, talking in slurred speech.

When the elevator doors closed, Christian kept one arm secured around her waist, while the other that was against the wall, dropped down to his side. He put his hand on the back of her thigh, making her gasp, and slowly brought it up her leg and under her dress. His fingers stilled on her panties for just a beat before he slipped two fingers passed them and into her core.

Anastasia gasped loudly and covered it with a pretend cough, making Christian grin. She looked over at everyone else and saw that none of them were paying attention. Elliot and Kate were wrapped in each other, eating each others face off and José and Ethan were having some argument about sports while Mia hung on to every word Ethan said. Sawyer and Taylor were at the front, both staring at the elevator door. Anastasia was glad that the walls were wood and not reflective.

Christian began to move his fingers once her shock dissipated a bit and she gripped the arm that was around her for support. His fingers started to work faster and she felt herself on the edge. She clenched her core as a warning to him and he stilled.

When her breathing returned almost to normal, he started up again. She chewed on her lip, forcing herself to keep quiet and silently praying the doors would open before he could push her over the edge. She sighed in relief when the door dinged and opened, revealing the lobby to them. The others clambered out, Elliot holding onto Kate as she tried walking her drunk self out in heels.

Christian slowly slipped his fingers out of her core and Anastasia stepped forward on shaky legs, that she couldn't blame on the alcohol. She heard a hum behind her and she turned to see Christian with his fingers in his mouth.

Her eyes widened. "Christian!" As if he couldn't make it anymore obvious.

He grinned and pulled his fingers out of his mouth with a pop before wrapping an arm around her waist to escort her to the car. "I told you, Miss Steele. You'd be surprised what I can do in plain sight." He reminded, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face the whole way to the vehicle.


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N: For those who have missed it, I wanted to add another reminder that I have started a pinterest account for this story. My screen name is NineN3Quarters. Just type in the regular URL for pinterest and then add /NineN3Quarters. A bunch of the wedding details are there. Anastasia's dress is Galia Lahav's 'Pricilla'. It is pinned to my pinterest, as well.**

 **This chapter is extremely long. Be warned! Hope you don't get too bored, but I didn't want to split up the wedding into parts.**

Anastasia stood in Christian's old bedroom wearing her wedding dress, trying to calm herself down. The whole third floor of the Grey residence was reserved for Anastasia and her wedding party. Sawyer stood at the stairs heading to the third floor, shooing off any member of the wedding party that didn't belong. The girls were adamant about keeping Anastasia's look a secret until the first look photo shoot with Christian. So far, the only male allowed up was Jose and that was only because he was the photographer for the wedding; he decided that was his wedding present to them. He took photos of the girls getting ready and then scurried off to do the same with the men, who occupied the basement. Anastasia was a little worried about that, because their basement housed a large, well-stocked bar and she was worried that one of the men...Elliot in particular...would get drunk and cause a scene. Hopefully, Christian had it handled.

She found herself at his desk, staring at the pictures he had on his corkboard. It made her smile and calmed her down a little. She wasn't necessary scared of the whole marriage part...but the whole getting married in front of a lot of people she didn't know and having to fight off the press at the same time and trying not to fall on her face or look like an idiot the whole day was a different story. She half wished they would have just packed up their families and went to the beach somewhere and gotten married away from everyone else.

There was a knock on the door and she turned to see her mom coming through the door.

"There you are. We wondered if you got cold feet and ran." Carla joked.

Anastasia gave her a small smile. "Where's Dad?" She hadn't seen him all day and she needed him.

"He's with the boys, getting dressed. Why? Is something wrong?" Carla looked worried all of a sudden.

Anastasia shook her head. "No, of course not. I just...I don't know. I haven't seen him all day."

"Do you want me to go get him?"

Anastasia sighed and shook her head again. "No, I'm being silly. Let him be." She went to the window and looked out on the backyard, where the tent was already set up for the reception and the workers were just now lining up the chairs for the ceremony.

"Ana..look over your shoulder."

Anastasia looked back at Jose and he took a picture. "Dios mío, Ana. Se mira increible... como un ángel."

She laughed. "How many times do I have to tell you...speak English!"

Jose grinned. "You look incredible...like an angel."

Anastasia blushed and looked down at her hands. She heard a click and her eyes shot back up. "Will you stop that!"

Jose laughed. "It's my job, Ana. Christian requested that I get as many of you as I can."

Anastasia's eyes widened and she grinned. "That's right! You saw them! Can I see the pictures?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely not."

She pouted.

"It won't work, Ana."

"Knock, knock! I was told I could find my girls in here..." Ray entered, looking for her and Carla. "Oh."

Jose began clicking away as Ray came closer.

Ray wasn't saying anything. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked upset.

"Daddy...what are you thinking?" "

Ray chuckled and sniffed. "I'm not sure, Annie...I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl." Ray asked, teary-eyed.

"Oh, Dad! Don't! You'll make me cry!" Anastasia hugged him and tried to swallow back her tears. She didn't expect it to be so emotional.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this." Ray admitted, taking both of her hands and squeezing them.

Anastasia gave a watery laugh. "Well, you better get ready because you're set to walk me down the aisle in a couple hours. I don't have a backup!"

"You sure you don't want me to fire up the getaway car?" Ray asked.

She giggled and shook her head. "The only getaway car I'll be getting in is the one I take with Christian after the reception." Christian and Anastasia would be making their getaway in a black 1950 Jaguar Roadster.

"As long as you're sure..."

She nodded. "Completely."

"Ana, we better get you polished up. You'll be meeting Christian soon." Carla mentioned, looking at her wrist watch.

Anastasia nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do it."

XxXxXx

Anastasia made her way outside, to where Christian was waiting close to the water. He had his back turned to her. She knew he was told not to turn around until she said so, but she wished he would, just so she could make eye contact. She was a bundle of nerves and she hoped that being with him would ease her anxiety a bit. She noticed Jose was standing about twenty feet away, his camera in hand. He took a few shots of Christian from the side and then turned to take a few of her as she made her way down.

She slowly crept up behind him and looked over at Jose, putting a finger to her lips, asking him to be quiet. He grinned and snapped another photo. She was close enough now that she could smell his body wash and she felt automatically calmed by the smell. She reached up and covered his eyes with her hands and Christian grinned.

"May I look now, Miss Steele?" Christian asked, while her hands still covered his eyes.

"You may." She uncovered his eyes and he turned.

His eyes went wide and his breath caught in his throat. Anastasia wrung her hands, hoping he was okay with the dress she chose. It was awfully formfitting and low in the back. She saw tears form in his eyes and knew that he liked it. A smile formed on her face and she wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye.

"Anastasia...I've never seen anything so beautiful. You're breathtaking."

She turned around to show him the low back with the pearl accents and looked at him over her shoulder.

He shook his head in wonder. "Incredible."

She turned back around and stepped closer to him, gripping onto the lapels of his jacket. "You look pretty incredible yourself. I like the scruff." She mentioned, reaching up and rubbing her fingers against his stubble. "It's sexy."

He smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "Mine."

"Yours." She agreed.

"Are we married, yet?" Christian asked, opening his eyes and looking into hers.

She smiled warmly at him. "A couple more hours, Mr. Grey."

Christian ran his hands up and down her naked back. "I like this. Skin-on-skin."

"So, you approve?"

He nodded. "It's like it was made for you...everyone will see just how beautiful you are. Everyone here knows you're mine. I want to show you off...just for today."

Anastasia laughed. "That also means they know you're mine." She shook her head. "We are so possessive."

"You better get use to it, Miss Steele. That's never going to change." Christian teased, nuzzling her nose with his. "I have something for you."

Anastasia nodded. "Me too."

Taylor and Sawyer brought them over their gifts and they exchanged them.

"Open yours first, Ana." Christian grinned.

She laughed. "You always get so excited when you give me something."

"I enjoy it."

She smiled up at him and opened the box. It was a set of pink drop earrings with a princess cut diamond above them. "They're beautiful, Christian! I love them."

"Pink diamonds."

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him. "Pink diamonds? Those are real?"

He chuckled. "Yes, Miss Steele. Here...let me put them on." She handed him back the box and hurried to take out her diamond studs. He slipped the earrings into her ears and stepped back to look at her.

"How do they look?" She asked.

"Perfect."

She smiled. "Good. Now open yours." She placed her studs in the box and handed the box to Sawyer.

Christian gave her a boyish grin and opened his box. "Diamond cufflinks?"

Anastasia nodded. "I figured I was going to be all dolled up and sparkly...so maybe you should be, too."

He chuckled. "I love them."

She reached for his wrists and helped him take off his others before replacing them with the new ones.

"How do they look?" He asked her, holding out his arms.

She laughed. "Perfect."

"I have one more gift to give..." Christian announced, handing his box to Taylor.

"Christian!" Anastasia admonished.

He pulled her to him. "No, no. It's for both of us. It's a post marital gift."

Her eyebrow shot up. "Oh?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keychain. It was labeled 'Mrs. Grey'. It housed a big gold key. He held it out to her and she took it.

"What's this to?"

He smiled. "Our new home."

Her eyes widened. "We're moving? To like...a new apartment?"

"A house...a really big one." Christian mentioned, an amused smirk on his face.

"A house...like...with grass? No ivory tower?" Anastasia inquired.

Christian laughed. "Yes, lots of grass. Acres of grass. It looks over the Puget Sound. We'll have our own dock."

Her heart swelled. "This is lovely, Christian...thank you." She leaned up and kissed him.

"I want to have some place new with you. All new memories, no old ones. Fresh start in a fresh place. I want to start our marriage with all firsts."

She could feel her eyes welling up. "That's important to you?"

"Absolutely."

Anastasia sniffled. "I love you, Christian."

He nuzzled his nose against hers. "I love you, too, Ana."

"You lovebirds done cooing yet?" Elliot called, making his way down with the rest of the bridal party. They turned toward him and Christian scowled at him.

"Wow, Ana! You look hot!"

Anastasia blushed. "Thanks, Elliot."

"Let's get this shit over with." Elliot commented, looking at Jose. "How do you want to do this?"

XxXxXx

Anastasia and Ray stood inside the sitting room, waiting for their turn to walk the aisle. Anastasia kept messing with her dress and Ray smiled at her.

She caught his eye and grinned back at him. "Does my dress look pretty, Daddy?"

The question brought back a strong memory for him, causing him to let out a sob and nodded. "Beautiful, baby."

"Daddy...don't cry!" Anastasia laughed. "You'll ruin my makeup." She said, blotting at her eyes with the pads of her fingers. She blew out a big breath, trying to expel her urge to cry. It had been the most emotional day and her chest ached.

Sawyer opened the French doors and gave a nod.

"Come on, Daddy. Walk me down the aisle...and don't cry!" Anastasia urged.

"I'll try not to, Annie. No promises." He wiped frantically at his eyes and then stuck his arm out for her to take. They made their way to the French doors and Ray stopped in his tracks.

"Dad?" Anastasia asked, looking up at him.

"I just need a second."

She nodded and took a deep breath. She was so nervous, she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She wanted to get the walk over, but if Ray needed a minute, it was the least she could do for him.

Ray nodded once he got his bearings. "Okay. Let's go."

XxXxXx

"Hello, Mrs. Grey..." Christian whispered into Anastasia's ear as he pressed her against the wall of the sitting room that they were hiding in while the guests were making their way into the tent for the reception.

Anastasia giggled and gripped his shoulders. "Hello, husband."

He groaned against her ear. "Finally." He whispered.

She smiled and slid her hand down his arm, grasping his left hand. "Do you know how incredibly sexy this looks on you?" She asked, looking at his wedding band.

He entwined his fingers with hers. "Whatever gets you going, Mrs. Grey. I need you ready and willing tonight." He whispered into her ear, before nipping at her neck.

She whimpered. "I don't think that will be a problem, baby."

He sighed deeply. "I can't wait to love you tonight. No add-on's... no kinky fuckery. I just want you. I need to bury myself inside of you and stay there."

She looked up at him with big, doe eyes. "Yes...please." She breathed out.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, taking no time deepening it. She moaned against his lips and slipped her hands into his hair, holding his head in place.

"It's show time, guys!" Elliot announced, coming in the backdoor.

Christian reluctantly peeled himself away from Anastasia and she pouted.

"Three hours, Mrs. Grey." Christian murmured, escorting her outside.

"Three _long_ hours, Mr. Grey." She corrected.

XxXxXx

After everyone had finished eating dinner, the DJ made an announcement. "The parents of Christian and Anastasia, each put together a little video to show their love."

A projector came down and Christian's video started to play.

A picture of tiny Christian popped up, making everyone coo. Grace's voice came over the speakers.

 _"Christian was such an intense little boy, but he was so lovable. When he looked up at you with those big gray eyes...you couldn't help, but melt. My two favorite memories of Christian are the first time he smiled for us and the first time he spoke. We were lucky enough to get both on film."_

Anastasia grinned up at him and squeezed his hand. Christian looked nervous.

A video popped up of Christian's first Christmas with the Grey's.

 _"Christian, come see Mommy." Grace tells him._

 _Tiny Christian makes his way over to his mother and looks up at her, holding a small blue blanket in his arm._

 _"Do you want to help me decorate the tree, Christian?"_

 _Tiny Christian blinks up at her._

 _"Here...look." Grace points down at a box that was full of ornaments. "These are ornaments for the tree."_

 _Tiny Christian looks down at the box and back up to his new mother._

 _"Here, let me show you. The hook goes through the little eye, and then you can hang it on the tree." Grace explains, placing a red ornament on the tree to show tiny Christian. "You try with this little bell." Grace shakes it and it makes a ringing sound._

 _Christian takes it from her and shakes it once, listening to the sound. When it stops, he pouts for a moment and then shakes it a second and third time, making Grace give him a megawatt smile._

 _"You like the bell, Christian?"_

 _Christian looks up at her with big gray eyes and smiles, making Grace tear up._

 _"You have a lovely smile, darling boy." Grace reaches down and strokes his hair, wiping her other hand over her eyes. "I love to see your smile."_

 _She lowered her hand to his shoulder and tiny Christian steps back quickly, holding his blue blacket against his face._

 _Grace frowns for a split second before forcing herself to smile. "Shall we put the bell on the tree?"_

 _Tiny Christian stares at the bell in his hand and nods._

The video cuts forward, showing Grace and tiny Christian at the piano.

 _Tiny Christian uses his index finger to poke the keys, making Grace smile. She slowly sits down next to him on the bench, not wanting to scare him._

 _"Do you want me to play for you Christian?"_

 _Grace sings something about an ugly duckling and begins to quack, getting Elliot's attention, and he comes over to the piano flapping his arms like a duck and repeating her quacking noise._

 _Grace starts to laugh at Elliot's silliness and Elliot laughs, too._

 _Christian watches Elliot intently and then lets out a giggle, himself._

 _Grace turns to tiny Christian with wide eyes. "You like this song, Christian?"_

 _Tiny Christian nods excitedly, making Grace laugh again. She leans down and kisses the top of his head. "You are so lovely, baby boy."_

Anastasia realized she had tears rolling down her face by the end of that home video. Her heart ached for the tiny Christian.

Another video popped up. Christian was a little older in this one.

 _Grace comes in, holding a pink blanket with raven hair sticking out of the top. She walks over to Christian, who is sitting on the couch, and sits next to him._

 _"This is your baby sister, Christian. Her name is Mia."_

 _Tiny Christian leans over and looks down at the baby and grins._

 _"Would you like to hold her?"_

 _Tiny Christian nods excitedly and Grace smiles down at him._

 _"Hold her like this..." Grace explains, showing him._

 _Tiny Christian sits back and looks down at the baby, who stares back up at him. He sticks his tongue out at Mia and she giggles, making him smile._

 _"Her name is Mia, Christian. Your baby sister, Mia." Grace says again._

 _"Mee a." Christian whispers and Grace's eyes widen, her face paling._

 _"What did you say?" Grace asks, obviously hoping he'll speak again._

 _"Mee a." Christian repeats, louder._

 _"Yes. Yes. Darling boy. Mia. Her name is Mia." Grace sniffles and smiles fondly at the two of them. "You like your baby sister, Christian?"_

 _Christian nods. "Mee a... Safe." He whispers, staring down at the baby and squeezing her tighter._

 _Grace lets out a sob. "Yes, she is safe...and so are you, Christian. Mommy and Daddy will always keep you safe."_

The video ends and Anastasia looks up at Christian, who looks pensive. Well...that's a new look.

 _"Being Christian's mother is such a blessing. It was difficult at times, but he turned out to be everything I had ever hoped for. He is one of the most driven young men I have ever come across. He is so work driven, in fact, that he seemed not to have any time for anything else...until Anastasia caught his eye. His father and I could see the difference in him the first night that he noticed that she was more than just a random friend of Mia's. He began to open up more...come over more. Seeing him talk and laugh like he did when he was a little boy...it's such a joy. You can see the love they have for one another...just the way they look at one another... the way they act around each other. When they became engaged on July 4th...I figured we had a year to plan the wedding...but then he dropped the ball, stating he was only giving us the month. I have to admit it made me anxious. I was worried that his mind was clouded because of the newness of it all...but once Christian makes a decision, there's no convincing him otherwise. I've spent a lot of time with both of them over the last month and it eased my worry. The attraction between them both...it's more than just skin deep. Their souls are drawn to each other. I truly believe that Anastasia is his soul mate...and that he is hers. I am so happy for my son and I am beyond excited about gaining a new daughter. I couldn't ask for a better daughter-in-law. Congratulations Christian and Ana. I love you."_

 _XxXxXx_

 _"Annie was always a strong willed child. I think it got her through a lot of things that would have broken others. I picked a couple of my favorite memories that were recorded. The first was when I bought her a new Easter dress. We didn't have much money, but we saved for three months because Annie wanted a swishy dress. She fell in love with that dress the second she laid eyes on it. From there, her love affair with dresses never stopped. The second memory is the first time she ever made me a cake. She was so proud that she did it all by herself…even though it was a little lumpy."_ Ray's voice rang out. Pictures of Anastasia popped up in various dresses, making everyone laugh.

A video popped up and Ana went red. She didn't like that it was now her turn.

 _"Did you get a new dress babygirl?" Ray asks tiny Ana._

 _Tiny Ana grins and grabs the edges of it, swinging her arms back and forth. "Yes. Does my dress look pretty, Daddy?"_

 _"Beautiful, babygirl."_

 _She swings her hips from side to side. "It swishes, Daddy…see? I lub it."_

 _"Strike a pose, baby." Carla urges behind the camera._

 _Tiny Ana blushes and looks at Ray. "Daddy…you do it!" She commands, pointing at him._

 _"How about we do it together?"_

 _Tiny Ana nods._

 _"Ready…set…POSE!" Ray sticks his hip out and puts his hand on his head, his elbow sticking out._

 _Tiny Ana puts her hand on her hip and sticks her hip out, her other hand going up and blowing her mother a kiss. She turns and giggles up at Ray._

 _"You're funny, Daddy."_

 _"Yea…glad you think so. Hope none of my military buddies see this…" Ray mentions as the camera tilts down to the floor and then goes black._

Anastasia laughed at his last comment and smiled over at Ray who was grinning. Another video popped up on the screen.

 _"Wait, Ana! Let me put this down first!" Carla urges, placing the camcorder on the counter, facing the two of them._

 _Carla grabs tiny Ana, who is trying to climb onto the counter, and hoists her up, sitting her on the counter._

 _"You ready to make a cake for Daddy?" Carla asks, pushing tiny Ana's chestnut hair out of her face._

 _"Yes! I do it myself." Tiny Ana tells her._

 _"Are you sure?" Carla's eyebrows knit together._

 _"Yes, Mommy. Let me do it." Tiny Ana points a finger to her own chest._

 _"Okay…I'll measure, you mix."_

 _The video cut forward and suddenly the camera was being pointed down at the bowl of ingredients._

 _"Uh…Ana, honey… I'm not sure if it's mixed properly." Carla says._

 _"Yeah huh. I did it myself." Tiny Ana answers. "Cook it Mommy." Tiny Ana looks up at the camera, showing big blue eyes._

 _Carla laughs from behind the camera. "Okay. If you're sure."_

The camera cut forward again.

 _"DADDY! Daddy Daddy Daddy!" Tiny Ana runs down the hall to the front door with Carla and the camera hurrying behind her._

 _The door opens, making tiny Ana squeal, and she wraps her arms around Ray's leg before he can even set his lunch box down from work._

 _"Happy birt-day, Daddy!" Tiny Ana says, bouncing up and down on her tiptoes._

 _Ray chuckles and picks her up. "Thank you, babygirl. Did Mommy give you sugar today?"_

 _Ana gives him a toothy grin. "I got to lick the spoon."_

 _"Spoon?" Ray asks._

 _"I made a birt-day cake! Come see!" Tiny Ana squirms in his arms and Ray puts her down. She starts to run down the hall and then stops, realizing her daddy wasn't following. She runs back to him, grabbing his hand and pulls with all her might. "Hurry, Daddy!"_

 _They hurry down the hall to where the birthday cake sits on the counter in a glass dish. Ray looks down at it and smiles._

 _"I know it looks funny, Daddy…but I did it all by myself!" Tiny Ana mentions, proudly. "Home made!"_

 _Ray looks up at the camera and cocks an eyebrow. "Homemade?"_

 _Carla laughs from behind the camera. "Yep…out of a box."_

 _Ray laughs at this. "Steele's version of homemade then."_

 _"Let's eat it!" Tiny Ana urges._

 _"Dinner first, Ana! You know the rule!" Carla says, setting down the camera as the phone rang._

 _Ray pulls out a knife and cuts off a little piece, giving tiny Ana half._

 _"Shh!" Ray says holding his finger to his lips._

 _Tiny Ana giggles silently behind her hands._

The video fades and Ray's voice comes through the speakers again.

 _"I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. She's been the light of my life and I can see it in his eyes that she's the light of Christian's. I knew from the moment she called me and said she had met a boy that it was the beginning of something big. When Christian called and asked for her hand…my first response was a firm no. I thought it was too soon. 'I need her, sir' he said to me. 'Loving her is like breathing. It's something so easy to do…but when it's gone…so is my life.' Those words really got to me. It was then that I realized that I would be giving up my little girl. Treat her right, Christian. Take care of Annie and let her take care of you. Buy her a swishy dress every once in awhile and indulge in one of her famous homemade box cakes every now and again. Congratulations, Annie and Christian. I love you both."_

XxXxXx

Anastasia and Ray danced around during the father-daughter dance to 'Butterfly Kisses'.

She held him tightly to her, trying her best not to burst out in tears. She was failing miserably and felt her chest starting to tighten. She tried to drag air through her lungs, but it was getting harder. She realized she was at the beginning of an anxiety attack.

Ray grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back so he could see her face. He cupped her face.

"Breathe, Annie. Look at me." She looked up at his brown eyes and he gave her a small smile. "Concentrate on me. Deep breaths. Everything is fine. You will be fine. I know it's a big day. The scary part is over. You're married. Just breathe and enjoy your party." He told her, trying to soothe her nerves. "You there, Annie?"

"I'm scared." Anastasia whispered.

"Why are you scared?" Ray asked, frowning.

"What…what if I'm like Mom?" Anastasia asked.

Ray's eyes widened. "Oh, Annie." He pulled her to him and started to dance with her again. "Your mother is in love with being in love. She's a hopeless romantic. She goes looking for it. You didn't go looking for this. I'd imagine that you even tried to fight your feelings. Marriage takes work, Annie…your mother…she doesn't have much patience for that. There will be times where you'll want to kill each other…but the important thing is to not give up. Work it out and remember to pick your fights. Some things aren't worth fighting about. You are strong, Annie. You can handle this. You love each other, don't you?" Ray spoke quietly into her ear.

Anastasia nodded. "Of course. I just worry about what will happens if he stops."

Ray chuckled, surprising her. "You're too easy to love, Annie. I'm not sure it's even possible for anyone to stop once they've started."

Anastasia couldn't help, but laugh. "Easy for you to say…you're my father!"

Ray grinned and shrugged. "Yea…well…"

When the song ended and Ray escorted her off of the dancefloor, Christian was right there, looking a bit panicked.

"Ana! Are you alright? What happened?" Christian asked, running his hands up and down her arms.

She smiled up at him. "I'm okay. A bit overwhelmed is all. Dad fixed it."

Christian pulled her against him and squeezed her close. "You had me scared to death. I thought you were going to run or something."

She shook her head against the front of his shoulder. "Never away from you Christian. Only with."

XxXxXx

It was time for Anastasia and Christian to leave and everyone lined up on each side of the walkway that led to their getaway car…a black 1950 Jaguar Roadster. The guests lit their sparklers and the newlyweds ran through.

Halfway through, people started chanting for him to kiss her.

Christian grabbed her and tipped her backward, leaning over and kissing her deeply. Everyone cheered and Christian straightened himself, placing her back on her feet. She smiled up at him and licked her lips.

"Ready for the happily ever after, Mrs. Grey?" Christian asked.

"My happily ever after started when you demanded to take me home, Mr. Grey." Anastasia answered, taking his hand and holding it in both of hers as she followed him back to the car.

Christian opened her door and handed her a red velvet box. She grinned up at him and buried it in the top of the flowers she was holding, opening the top.

She pretended to start throwing it over her shoulder, but then turned and handed it straight to Kate.

"Say yes." Anastasia whispered, making Kate furrow her brow. Kate looked down and saw the open ring box and squealed. Anastasia hurried back to the car and Christian helped her in with her dress. Once he shut the door, she looked back and saw Elliot on one knee.

Anastasia turned toward Christian and grinned. "You Grey men sure don't waste any time!"

Christian chuckled and turned the car on, leaning over and kissing her. "We just know what we want."

Anastasia giggled and hooked her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Ready to ride off into the sunset, Mrs. Grey?" Christian asked.

"With you? Always, Mr. Grey."

Christian drove down the lane and to the stop sign. He slipped off his navy blue jacket and placed it over the front of her and she looked at him confused.

"It might get a little chilly with the sun setting and the top down, Mrs. Grey." Christian explained.

She grinned over at him. "Thank you, husband." She held it from the inside, tucking it under her chin.

"There they are..." Christian mentioned looking at the rearview mirror. Anastasia looked in her side mirror and saw the black Audi pulling up behind them. "Taylor and Sawyer are coming to bring our overnight bags in and to make sure everything is secured." He told her as he pulled away from the stop sign.

"Secured? Why would we have to worry about that?" She and Christian were going to the hotel to spend the night. She was a bit disappointed, stating she wanted their first night as a married couple to be in their apartment, but her parents and Jose wouldn't be gone until the following day and they didn't want to share their wedding night with them.

Christian grinned. "It's a surprise."

"Another surprise? What is it?"

He reached over and took her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her knuckles and then her ring. "If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise."

XxXxXx

Christian pulled down a lane and Anastasia breathed in deep. The air smelled salty. She looked over to Christian who was grinning like a little boy. He made a few more turns, the houses becoming farther apart and hidden behind big gates. Christian slowed and pulled into a drive, stopping at a number pad and punching in a number. The big privacy gate started to open, showing a huge Mediterranean style home. Her eyes widened. It was absolutely beautiful.

Christian watched her expression and leaned over to her ear. "Welcome home, Mrs. Grey."

She gasped. " _This_ is the house you bought? We're going to live _here?_ " She asked as he pulled into the circle driveway with security close behind.

"It isn't ready to be moved in yet...but it bothered me that you wanted our wedding night to be at home. I had a lot of time to think this morning...and I figured the next best thing was our future home. It's rather bare inside...Taylor only managed to have time to bring a mattress in and a few other things. I hope you like it."

"Christian! You're incredible! Of course I like it! I love it! And I love you." Anastasia leaned over and kissed his lips.

"I love you, too. Stay. I'll get the door." Christian climbed out and hurried over to her side to open her door.

He offered his hand and she climbed out, unable to keep her eyes from the large structure. "This is amazing. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd even set foot in a place like this." She shook her head in wonder.

Christian smiled and picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ready to be carried over the threshold Mrs. Grey?"

She kissed him again. "Absolutely."

Taylor and Sawyer jumped out and went ahead, unlocking the front door for them. The two men went further into the house to search it.

Christian slowly made his way up the walk and through the door. Anastasia noticed that the large, heavy wooden door had a metal tree branching out and continuing on the glass panes around the door, apples hanging from the branches. It was beautiful.

"I love that door." Christian mentioned, grinning. He used his foot to shut it and leaned up against it until it clicked shut. He stepped farther into the entrance hall and stood, waiting.

"Are you going to put me down, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, giggling.

"Not until we get to our bedroom. There are plenty more thresholds to carry you over." Christian answered, looking completely serious.

Anastasia looked around to keep from laughing at his seriousness. It was beautiful. There was a large staircase on the left side of the entryway curving up to the second floor and through the entryway looked like it continued into the Great room. She could just make out a fireplace opposite of where they were.

"I hope I get a tour before we leave tomorrow..." Anastasia teased, looking back up at him.

Christian grinned. "I might let you out of bed long enough for a tour...a short tour...maybe one where we christen each room..." He mentioned, wiggling his eyebrows.

Anastasia giggled. "Nice choice of wording."

"All clear, sir!" Sawyer announced, coming down the stairs.

Taylor came from the other end of the house, nodding. "Down here, too."

Christian gave a nod. "Lock it." He headed towards the stairs and up them, carrying her with ease.

She shook her head. "You never cease to amaze me, Christian. You carry me around like I don't weigh a thing."

"You don't."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "110 pounds isn't nothing, Christian."

"You need to eat." Christian said, frowning.

"I'm only 5'3". That's completely normal."

Christian sighed and laid her down on the mattress in the master bedroom. "We'll talk about that later. Right now, I want to consummate our marriage." He said, climbing onto the bed and hovering over her. She grinned up at him, causing him to grin back.

"Hello, Mrs. Grey...I think I'll ravish you now..." He whispered, nuzzling against her nose.

"Not yet, Mr. Grey."

His eyes widened and he looked at her. "Why?" His brows knitted together and he looked a little hurt.

"I just want to change, first." Anastasia explained.

"There isn't a need. I want you gloriously naked." He mentioned, leaning down and nipping her neck.

She whimpered. "Please, Christian. Just two minutes."

He sighed and rolled to his side. "If you must."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." She climbed off the mattress and looked at him. "Overnight bag?"

He nodded toward the corner of the room and she caught a glimpse of it in the dark corner.

"I'll be two minutes, husband. When I come out, your clothes better be on the floor." Anastasia told him, cocking an eyebrow at him.

He gave her a boyish grin. "Yes, ma'am."

She hurried into the bathroom and pulled out her antique white babydoll and slipped out of her heels before taking off her dress. She frowned as it fell to the floor...a little bummed that it wasn't Christian that took it off. She picked it up and laid it across the vanity before slipping on her babydoll. She hurried and pulled the pins out of her hair, letting her long hair fall to her mid-back in loose curls. She looked in the mirror and tried to wipe the smudged eyeliner away. It wasn't going away. She decided to give up on trying and headed back into the bedroom.

Christian was laying on the bed, propped up on his elbow, deliciously naked and standing at attention. She licked her lips at the sight of his manhood.

"Ana...you look incredible. Please come. I can't wait any longer."

Her eyes locked onto his and she made her way over, crawling up his body, kissing the head of his penis on the way up. When she heard him gasp, she stopped and crawled backward to his manhood, taking him into her mouth and humming when she tasted the saltiness at the tip.

He groaned and threw himself back against the bed. She looked up at his form through her lashes and saw him gripping the sheets. She continued to take more of him in and when she got halfway down, he started to flex up and back. She stopped for a beat, making sure he wasn't going to thrust too hard. He had never fucked her mouth like this and it made her toes curl. She started moving her mouth with the rhythm of his hips and enjoyed the sounds he was making. When she hit the hilt, he moaned loudly and reached down to hold the back of her head.

"Baby...I'm not going to last much longer." He warned.

She reached up and held his balls, kneading them in her hand.

"Shit, Ana! That's fucking incredible. Suck hard, baby!"

She did as requested, gripping his balls tighter and she felt them draw up in her hand and he flexed his hips. "Oh, Ana! Fuck yes!" She watched his head get thrown back and his hand gripped tighter in her hair.

Once he had relaxed his grip on her, she pulled him out of her mouth and continued up his body. She laid on her side next to him, waiting for him to catch his breath.

He turned his head and smirked. "My turn."

He pounced on her and she squealed, laughing against his lips as he kissed her before continuing lower.

"This lingerie is perfect, Mrs. Grey...my wife wrapped in a bow. You really are the best present." He told her, tracing the bow. "I need skin-on-skin tonight. I'm afraid it'll have to go...but not yet."

He climbed down her body and she wriggled underneath him and stilled after a few seconds, worried he'd admonish her, but he didn't. He hooked his thumbs into her panties and pulled them down, throwing them over his shoulder.

"Bend your knees and open your legs. Let me see what's mine." Christian commanded and she was happy to oblige.

His eyes widened when he looked between her legs. "You waxed?" He asked, looking back up at her.

Anastasia reddened and gave a shy nod. "I...I just thought...well...was it a mistake?"

He grinned. "Oh no, baby. You'll feel more this way."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

He leaned down and kissed the skin right above her slit, biting down on it. She gasped and raised her hips, making him chuckle against her skin. He continued lower and circled her clit with his tongue.

"Mmm...Christian..." Her hips flexed up, but he didn't push them back down so she found herself rising them again and moving against his mouth. He kissed, licked, sucked, and tongue fucked her until she came, screaming his name, gripping his hair with both hands, pressing his face into her.

When she relaxed, he looked up at her and smiled. "Good?"

"Oh, incredible!" Anastasia mentioned wriggling.

"I need you, Ana." Christian said, pushing her lingerie up her body. She sat up and he lifted it over her head, leaning against her and forcing her to lie back down. She immediately wrapped her legs around him and he held himself up with one forearm, using his other hand to guide himself into her.

They both groaned at the feeling and he buried one hand into her hair as he started to move. They kept eye contact while he established a slow pace.

"I want you to push me into the mattress." Anastasia said quietly.

He gave her a small smile and lowered his body down to hers, resting his weight on top of her. "How's this?"

She sighed and hooked her arms under his, holding onto his shoulders. "Perfect."

He leaned down and kissed her, giving her a long slow kiss.

"I love you so much." She whispered against his lips.

She felt him smile. "And I love you."

He ran his hand down the side of her and around to her thigh. "You are so perfect, Ana...So beautiful."

XxXxXx

Anastasia's eyes fluttered open in the dark. She laid there for a couple moments, trying to take in her surroundings. She had forgotten where she was for a minute.

She rolled to her other side and found that Christian was awake.

"Christian? Why aren't you asleep?"

He smiled down at her. "Too excited to sleep. It's almost sunrise. I thought we could enjoy the sunrise together."

Anastasia grinned and sat up. "I'd like that."

Christian kissed her lips and stood. She realized he was in a pair of light washed jeans already.

"Up, Mrs. Grey." He commanded.

Anastasia giggled and stood, obliging her new husband's request.

He grabbed his white button down from the day prior and held it open, letting her slip her arms in it. He worked quickly, buttoning it up, and grabbed the duvet from the bed. He took her hand and she followed him out of the bedroom and down the stairs, into the Great room and out of the big French doors to the back. The sun had just barely started to rise and she could almost make out the large yard and the water and dock in the distance.

He crouched down a bit. "Climb on."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs going around his waist. Another piggy-back ride. He quickly made his way through the grass and towards the water. She could see the dock where there were some candles lit and where a couple coffee shop cups sat. She kissed and nibbled his neck while he closed the gap between the dock and them.

He set her down once they made it to the dock and placed the duvet on the dock, shaking it out so that it laid flat.

"Sit, Mrs. Grey."

She shook her head at him. Always so short with words. She sat as requested, knowing he didn't realize just how short he was being.

He sat next to her and handed her a cup of coffee. He took the second cup and took a long swig from it, before putting it back down and leaning back on his hands. She leaned up against him, laying her head against his shoulder.

"This is so beautiful, Christian."

He nuzzled into her hair. "I love it here. I love that it's ours."

She looked up at him and leaned up to kiss him. He deepened the kiss and lowered her onto the blanket, grabbing the other corner and pulling it over them. With one hand, he worked his way down, unbuttoning his shirt she was wearing.

Anastasia pulled away from the kiss and looked up at him, taking in his features. She didn't think she could ever tire of this; she could stare at him forever...the man that was now her husband.

When he had the shirt unbuttoned, he slipped his hand inside, pushing the sides of the shirt so that they fell away from her breasts and stomach. His gray eyes released hers and trailed down to look at her body.

She smiled softly at him. "You make me feel so beautiful, Christian."

His eyes met hers again. "You are beautiful, Anastasia. I want you to feel that way always. Can I love you, here?"

Her smile widened and she nodded. "Please. I need you."

He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, sighing. "I love that...that you need me."

"I'll always need you, Christian." Anastasia whispered.


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N: I started a new FSoG story called 'Mine Now' and I've had a couple ask if I was going to finish this one. Yes, I will continue with this story, I just had a plot in my head for another one that was giving me writers block for this one...so now I have two. Let's see how well this goes... ;)**

 **Also, I thought it would be fun for Ana to have some type of positive attention, instead of Christian being the one recognized. The scene will lead to something else later.**

Christian and Anastasia spent the next month flying, yachting, motorbiking, and driving throughout Europe. Anastasia could not believe how fast the month had gone. When Christian had first mentioned that they would be gone for a month, she was a bit worried. She wondered how on Earth would they find the things to do to last a month or find the time to be away from work. However, Christian made sure that there was wifi on the boat and in the hotels where they stayed, so he and Anastasia took time out of their honeymoon to try and catch up on work every couple of days. By the time the month was finished, she was ready to be home.

Before the trip, Anastasia had convinced Christian to allow security their significant others. She had asked him how he would feel if he had to be separated from her for a month and it didn't take long after for him to cave. So, Gail and Sawyer's husband, Logan, had accompanied the four of them on the trip with strict orders from Christian not to allow their significant others to get between them and their jobs while on duty. It was lovely having the others around. Anastasia got to know Logan during the hours that Christian worked while on the yacht and they all got to witness Taylor get down on one knee and ask Gail for her hand in marriage one night while in front of the Eiffel Tower. Christian must have been behind it, because they didn't spend many nights with the others while on solid ground, but that night he had insisted. He had even paid for the newly engaged couple to go on a carriage ride, a nice dinner, and offered to pay for the wedding. Anastasia was thrilled at this. Marriage definitely seemed to be agreeing with Mr. Grey.

On the way back to the U.S., they stopped in New York to have the jet maintenanced and refueled. Anastasia, Christian, Sawyer, Logan, Taylor, and Gail decided to find something to eat while they waited.

"OOH! Red Lobster! Let's go there!" Anastasia said excitedly from her seat in the rented van.

Christian snorted and shook his head.

"Excuse me, Mr. Grey...but you are not too good for Red Lobster! Besides...I'm starving and we've been driving for twenty minutes. I'm sure I speak for everyone when stating that I'm starving!" Anastasia said, flippantly.

Christian sighed. "Fine. If everyone is okay with seafood."

Five minutes later, Taylor had the van parked and they were all headed towards the door. Anastasia linked arms with Gail and walked a little ahead of the boys so she could talk wedding.

"So, have you two settled on a date, yet?" Anastasia asked, smiling at Gail excitedly. "Future Mrs. Taylor..." She added.

Gail laughed and shook her head. "We haven't decided on anything yet, Ana. Probably next Spring. We want to make sure that Jason can have Sophie that weekend first."

"Sophie?"

Gail nodded. "His daughter. She's eight."

Anastasia looked down at the ground. She had no idea he even had a daughter. She'd have to ask Taylor to see a picture.

She heard a wolf-whistle behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Christian grinning. "I love to watch you from behind, baby. The diamonds in your ears...the way your dresses move around your calves as you walk...those red bottomed heels..." He caught up to her and wrapped an arm around her from behind, making her giggle. "You are so classy, baby. I'd take this look over what the women are wearing now, any day of the week. I am one lucky man, Mrs. Grey." He said quietly into her ear before kissing it.

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off of her face. They were both still in their post-honeymoon high and he made her feel incredibly special. Taylor stepped ahead and opened the door, allowing Gail to enter first, then Anastasia and Christian, and last Sawyer and Logan before heading in himself. Christian headed to the hostess with Anastasia still in his arms to put in their name. There were a few other parties still waiting to be seated.

"How many, sir?" The girl at the desk asked, without looking up.

"Six." He answered, a little annoyed by the lack of respect.

The girl looked up and gasped when she met his eyes. Anastasia rolled hers. The girl looked at her and the girls eyes widened further.

"You're Anastasia Steele!" The girl squealed. Sawyer automatically showed up to her right, on guard.

"Er...yes. Except it's Grey now." Anastasia answered, a little confused. "I'm sorry...but you seem to have me at a disadvantage..."

"My name is Emily...you don't know me...but I know you! I follow you...online I mean."

Anastasia began to get a little freaked out and pressed herself back into Christian. He tightened his arms around her.

"Why the hell are you stalking my wife?" Christian growled, annoyed.

"Oh! I'm not stalking, sir! I don't mean any harm! Your fashion is just incredible! It is so nice to have a woman in the public eye that dresses as lovely as you do. It's refreshing to see a woman that can show her beauty without showing her assets...if you know what I mean." Emily explained.

Anastasia let out an airy laugh and blushed. "Wow...Thank you! I just wear what I like and what I feel is self-respectful. I had no idea that it had such an external affect." She was shocked that she actually had a following. She didn't even realize people were taking photos of her. The paparazzi were slicker than she thought.

Emily smiled at her. "You're very welcome. You have a large following. There's even a fanclub...which I happen to be the president of...I start college in the fall for fashion. It's sort of my thing... do you think I could have a picture with you for my website?"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Oh...um, sure!" She stepped away from Christian and up to the girl.

"Mr. Grey...do you mind taking a picture?" Emily asked.

Anastasia bit her lip to hide her laugh. Christian's face was priceless.

"Here...why don't we let Sawyer take the picture." Anastasia answered, saving the girl from the wrath of Christian.

"Now, make sure you get Mrs. Grey's whole outfit in the picture..." Emily mentioned, handing her cell phone to Sawyer. Sawyer looked a little disgruntled by being told what to do by someone else.

Anastasia grinned at Sawyer. "Please, Sawyer."

He gave Anastasia a small smile and nod.

After the picture, the girl thanked Sawyer and shoved her phone back in her pocket. "There is no need for making you all wait. Here...I'll take you now."

Anastasia grinned up at Christian and took his hand.

"You have fans, Mrs. Grey." Christian mentioned quietly on their way to their table.

Anastasia blushed and ignored his comment.

They were sat in a circular booth in the corner.

"Here you go, Mrs. Grey. Thank you again." Emily smiled at her.

"Please, call me Ana. And thank you for the table, Emily."

"Okay...Ana. You're very welcome. It was my pleasure." Emily answered, scurrying off excitedly.

Anastasia and Christian slid in first, Gail slid in next to Anastasia and Logan next to Christian. Taylor and Sawyer sat on each end of the curved booth, ready to do their job if need be.

Christian sighed and looked down at the menu. Anastasia imagined he was not happy with being stuck like this.

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Just relax. Enjoy yourself." She said quietly, trying to calm his irritation. She moved her foot so that it was hooked behind his and took his hand in both of hers, entwining their fingers. "We can be closer this way." She whispered in his ear.

He gave her a small smile and a nod. "I'm sorry if I'm being a grouch. I just don't want our honeymoon to be over. I crave our closeness, Ana. I don't want to go back to work."

"All good things must come to an end, Mr. Grey. I can't deny that I am a little excited to go back as Anastasia Grey."

He grinned and looked back down at his menu. "My wife."

Anastasia laughed and opened her menu. "Yes, Mr. Grey. You've officially branded me as your own." She teased.

XxXxXx

"Christian...share a dessert with me?" Anastasia asked, looking through the dessert menu on the table.

When he didn't say anything, she looked up at him. He looked shocked.

Her brows furrowed. "What?"

He shook his head, covering up his surprise. "If I knew taking you to Red Lobster would get you to eat, we would have been coming here all along."

Anastasia blushed. She did love the place and for some reason she felt starved that day. It was probably all that travelling.

"Have I eaten too much, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia closed the dessert menu and started to put it back. Christian grabbed it from her and reopened it.

"Don't be silly. We'll have dessert. How about the brownie with vanilla ice cream?" He asked, grinning. "Maybe I'll ask for sprinkles on top." He added.

Anastasia giggled. "I highly doubt they have sprinkles, Christian...they might have hot fudge though."

Christian leaned toward her ear, grinning. "Probably no cherries either, Mrs. Grey." He whispered, making her blush again.

XxXxXx

They were halfway home on the jet when Anastasia started to regret her heavy meal of Cheddar Bay biscuits, shrimp alfredo, and brownie. Her full stomach plus the speed and the altitude of the plane had started to catch up to her.

"Baby...are you okay?" Christian asked from his spot across from her where she had her feet resting in his lap.

She felt the blood drain from her face and she felt her forehead starting to sweat. Her stomach gave a lurch and she placed her hand over her mouth, jumping up, and hurrying to the private bathroom off of the bedroom in back. She had barely made it to the toilet before she got sick.

She felt a hand on her back as it rubbed in circles while she was in mid-puke.

"I'm here." Christian told her.

"Christian!" She said, before her stomach clenched and she threw up again. She gasped and reached behind her, making a pitiful attempt to push him away. "Get ou...Blah!" Back to the toilet her head went.

"Don't be ridiculous. I am your husband. A little puke isn't going to send me running." He stepped away from her and she heard the water running, but she didn't dare to move her head. Every time she moved it, she got dizzy and ended up puking more. She flushed the toilet and folded her arms over the seat, setting her sweaty forehead against them. She didn't trust that she was finished yet.

She felt a cold rag on the back of her neck and his hand returned to rub circles on her back. It really did comfort her. The cold rag felt good against her hot neck.

"Thank you." She said quietly, hoping he could hear her.

"No need to. It's part of my husbandly duties. I want to take care of you."

She sighed deeply and straightened a little, lifting her head. She felt herself get dizzy and she grabbed her head, waiting to get her bearings and waiting to see if she'd be sick again. When nothing happened, she straightened completely and Christian pulled the rag off her neck. He wiped her face with it, starting with her forehead and finishing with her mouth.

"How do you feel?" He asked, crouched next to her.

"Dizzy." Anastasia answered, trying to stand up. Christian grabbed her arms to steady her and helped lift her up.

"Easy now." He told her.

He put an arm around her to escort her out and she stopped at the sink to rinse her mouth out.

"Let's get you in bed. Maybe sleep will help." Christian told her, walking her to the bed.

Once she was tucked in, she kissed her forehead. "Hmm...no fever. I don't think it's food poisoning, then." He mentioned, smoothing her hair back.

"I think I just ate too much for travel. All this traveling is giving me jetlag." Anastasia answered, her eyes already closed.

"I'll let you rest, baby." He told her, kissing her forehead once more and standing up.

"Wait!" Anastasia reached out and grabbed the inside of his elbow. "Will you stay? Just until I fall asleep?"

He turned and smiled at her. "Of course, baby." He climbed in next to her and spooned her from behind. "Just don't puke on me." He added, grinning.

Anastasia giggled. "No promises, Mr. Grey."

XxXxXx

Anastasia spent most of the weekend in bed, feeling crumby and jet lagged. She loved their honeymoon, but she was extremely happy to be home. She went from never traveling more than four hours away from home, to hopping on a plane and flying halfway across the world. They then proceeded to float around in a yacht that was constantly moving or in a car, either going up and down hills surrounded by green or small streets surrounded by people. It had been way too much for her body to handle. Spending so much time with Christian also created a severe attachment with him and she realized that she had separation anxiety when she'd wake up during the weekend and his side of the bed was empty.

She was feeling better by Sunday evening and ate dinner with Christian with no emergency trips to the bathroom. She decided she was fine enough to go back to work, but Christian had his doubts. Truth be told, even if she wasn't feeling well, she'd still go because it'd be harder sitting and waiting at home while he was gone than to be at work, doing something productive. She convinced him to let her go to work, as long as Sawyer came to keep an eye on her. Sawyer was under strict orders to alert Christian if Anastasia even looked a little pale.

XxXxXx

Anastasia sat in her office on Monday afternoon, feeling much better and in a great mood. Everyone had welcomed her back warmly with flowers, a card, and a couple of balloons. Everything was going wonderfully until she received a text from Christian.

 _*Hey baby. I'll be home a little late tonight.*_

Anastasia's eyes widened and she felt her heartrate spike.

 _*What? Why?*_

 _*Emergency meeting with Detroit. Not looking forward to it.*_

She frowned. She felt herself starting to panic. She thought her anxiety would get better after the wedding. She knew there was no reason for her to act like this. Nothing bad was going to happen. She really needed to talk to Flynn. She had terrible anxiety when she was younger, but she learned to control it in high school. She felt like she was ten years old again and nothing, but having Christian beside her would make her feel better.

 _*When is the meeting? When will you be home?*_

She chewed her lip, waiting for his reply.

 _*It's at 5, but it's a dinner meeting. Probably be home around 7.*_

She looked down at his answer and wanted to cry. That meant she would be eating dinner alone. Her day just plummeted and it was all thanks to her own out of control emotions. She put her phone down and tried to calm herself down. Her breathing was getting louder and it felt like there was an elephant on her chest and a hand trying to strangle her.

"Mrs. Grey? What's going on?" Sawyer stepped in her office and shut the door behind him, hurrying over to her.

"I'm fine, Sawyer. I just need some ice water." She explained, dragging in deep, slow breaths.

"Would you like me to get you some?" Sawyer asked.

She nodded. "Please."

Anastasia rubbed her face with her hands and told herself to focus on the computer in front of her. She told herself she would be fine. Just keep working.

There was a ping on her computer and she scowled at it. It was video conference invitation from Christian. That meant that Sawyer had called him.

She hit the accept and scowled at the computer, receiving a worried look back from her new husband.

"What's going on, Ana?" He asked, his eyes flicking back and forth, looking over her face on the screen.

"I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me!" Anastasia rubbed her face again and let out a frustrated growl. "I just feel panicked all of a sudden."

"Do you want me to come?"

 _Yes..._ "No...of course not. You've got work to do. I'm fine." She answered, trying to be as convincing as possible.

"Do you want to go home?"

Her eyes widened. "No, no. I don't want to do that. It's lonely. I'm fine. I just needed to get my head together. I am better now."

Christian's eyebrows knitted together and he regarded her for a minute. She wasn't lying. Seeing him on the computer screen _had_ helped ease her anxiety.

"Really, Christian. I'm fine now." Anastasia nodded encouragingly.

He cocked his head to one side. "What happened, baby?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. My emotions got the best of me. I have no good reason for my panic attack."

He sighed. "You sure you're okay?"

Anastasia smiled at him. "Yes. I'm sure. Thank you. I will see you tonight."

Christian returned her smile. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

XxXxXx

By the time Anastasia got home that evening she was exhausted. It was an emotionally exhausting day and it sucked the life from her. She yawned her way through dinner, barely realizing what she was eating. She had changed for bed by six, deciding to wear one of Christian's t-shirts and a pair of his boxer briefs. She curled up in his side of the bed and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep.

Even though she was exhausted, she spent the next hour halfway between sleep and awake, unable to fall asleep completely. She kept opening her eyes to check the clock.

6:54. She sighed. He wasn't home yet. She felt her heart start to beat faster and squeezed her eyes shut. She told herself to think logically about this.

One: it wasn't seven yet and he said around seven. That meant it could be later.

Two: she had just been with him not even twelve hours ago.

Three: she had spoken to him and seen him on her computer screen not even six hours ago.

Four: Taylor was with him. If something wrong were to happen, she would have heard about it. Taylor was the best. Christian was safe.

 _But it's seven and he's not here._ Nope, nope, nope. Back to counting.

Five: ... _shit._

She looked at the clock. 7:03. Maybe she should text him. Or Taylor...that way she wouldn't be bothering Christian if he was still in his meeting. No... she was being silly. This was her problem; not theirs.

She stared at the ceiling and started counting down from one-hundred, remembering the trick Ray had taught her to do when she was too anxious as a child.

She had left the door open and it was quiet enough for her to hear what she thought was the ding of the elevator. She sat up quickly and held her breath, listening hard.

She heard the rattle of keys and then the footsteps and voices of two men.

She launched herself out of bed and ran towards the foyer. She saw Christian and Taylor both standing there as she came running in, looking shocked by her actions. She ignored Taylor completely and launched herself at Christian, throwing her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

Christian dropped his jacket and bag on the floor and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.

"What's wrong?! What happened?! Is someone in the apartment?!" Christian asked, panicked.

"No! I just missed you." Anastasia answered against his neck squeezing him tighter.

Christian looked at Taylor and nodded, signaling that it was okay for him to retire to his wing of the apartment.

He carried her towards their bedroom. "Anastasia...you're scaring me."

She nodded. "I'm scaring myself." She took a deep shaky breath against his neck.

He squeezed her tighter and shut the bedroom door behind them. He laid her down on the bed before stripping himself for bed. She saw that his brows were furrowed and the corner of his lips were pulled down into a frown. He was not happy with her.

Anastasia chewed her lip while she watched him undress. "I'm sorry."

He looked up at her and his brow ridge deepened. "Don't be, Anastasia." He climbed into bed and laid on his back, opening his arms so she'd curl up with him.

When she was settled, he reached up and smoothed her hair out of her face, so he could see it.

"I don't understand what's going on, Anastasia. What's changed?"

She shrugged against him and nuzzled into his chest. "Like I said, I don't know. My anxiety is getting the best of me. Today was going fine and then you said you'd be late...and I started panicking. I know it makes no sense."

Christian's brow furrowed. "Do you not trust me?"

"No, no. Of course I trust you. It isn't like that. It's like..." she sighed. "Well...this afternoon, I felt uncomfortable while you were away...unsafe. I know it's stupid. I also didn't know what you were doing or what was happening and I didn't know if you were hurt or if something was wrong...or if I'd even see you again." She sniffled and wiped a tear away from her eye. "It makes no sense. I'm being silly. Maybe it's stemming from my appointments with Dr. Flynn...or spending so much time together the past month...or maybe a little of both with the stress of all the wedding stuff shoved in. I don't feel like me."

Christian squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head. "Maybe we should see Dr. Flynn."

She nodded against his chest. "I think we should."

She sniffled again and closed her eyes. "All of this is making me exhausted. Can I sleep now?"

He chuckled. "Of course you can, baby. Do you mind if I grab my bag first? I want to look over some paperwork while you sleep."

She shook her head. "Of course I don't mind."

When he returned with his bag and pulled out a thick manila envelope, he climbed back in bed, propping his head up and turning on the bedside lamp. He put an arm out and she curled up to him again. He held her with one arm while the other hand held his paperwork up to read.

"Thank you, Christian. Good night." Anastasia murmured.

He kissed her forehead. "Good night, baby. I love you."

 **A/N: So is Ana's past starting to catch up with her? Is this foreshadowing that something bad might happen to Christian soon? Or has Ana just had a very stressful few months and all of her anxiety is rearing its ugly head? What do you think?**


	34. Chapter 33

Anastasia called Dr. Flynn's office the next morning, but the receptionist stated that he would be out of office until the following week. It turns out that he was in Des Moines taking care of his sister, who was sick. At first Anastasia got angry that he didn't tell them, and then realized that it was ridiculous that she felt that way. The receptionist offered to set them up with another psychologist for the week, but Anastasia refused. There was no way she was going to talk to someone she barely knew. Christian had actually agreed with her on this, which surprised her.

The week was a long one, but Anastasia dealt with it. One day, she would feel fine; no anxiety attacks, no tiredness, no nausea. Then the next day, it would all hit her, usually in the afternoon. By Friday, she had ended up a blubbery mess in her office, hugging a trashcan and begging Sawyer to get Mr. Grey.

Christian stormed into her office, fuming.

"Why the fuck didn't you call me sooner, Sawyer?" Christian growled, kneeling next to Anastasia, who was sitting in her chair with her trashcan.

"Sorry, sir." Sawyer answered.

"It wasn't his fault. I begged him not to at first, but it wasn't getting better!" Anastasia exclaimed into her trashcan, feeling guilty enough that the tears that had subsided when he told her Christian was coming, had started again.

"Baby, we need to get you to the hospital." Christian urged, wiping the sweat off her forehead with his palm.

"No. I know it's my anxiety. I want to wait for Flynn." Anastasia answered, sitting up a little bit and trying to suck air into her lungs to stop her sobbing. "Sawyer...can I have some ice water?" She asked, releasing her trashcan and blowing her nose with a tissue.

"I don't know what to do, Anastasia...I don't know how to help. Tell me what you need...please...I feel helpless." Christian looked panicked. "Let me take you to the ED."

"I don't want to go to the emergency department! I want to see Flynn; he understands! It's anxiety! This has happened before!" Anastasia yelled, slamming her fists down on the armrests of her chair.

"This has happened before?" Christian asked.

Anastasia nodded.

"When?"

"After my mother found out... I was so scared that he was going to get out of jail and come after us. I was scared he'd hurt my mom and dad. They tried to send me to school, but I would end with panic attacks everyday, because they weren't with me. I ended up being homeschooled until junior high because of it. I would get so upset, it would make me throw up." Anstasia explained.

Christian turned her chair towards him and pulled her against him so that he was between her legs. He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked up at her. "Ana...is something going on that I'm not aware of?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No, of course not."

Sawyer knocked and entered, carrying an ice water and a wet papertowel for her to wipe her face with.

"Thank you, Sawyer." She thanked, as he set them down.

She took a sip of water and leaned down and grabbed the trashcan. After rinsing her mouth, she spit it into the trash. Christian grabbed the papertowel and wiped her face off before throwing it in the trash and resuming his spot between her legs.

"If nothing is going on, where is all this stemming from?" Christian asked, wanting answers.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I wish I did."

"But on the plane...you didn't have any anxiety. You just got sick."

"That was too much food and too much travel." Anastasia answered.

Christian sighed and dropped his face to her lap. "Something is going on, Ana. I'd like to take you to the ED."

"No, Christian...not yet. Let's talk to Flynn first...please. I feel better now that you're here." Anastasia pleaded, slipping her hand through his dark copper hair.

She giggled. "Your hair is getting a little long, Mr. Grey. It's starting to curl at the ends. I didn't know it was curly."

Christian smiled against her leg, happy to hear her laugh. "Just a little. I left it like this throughout college, but when I started my company, I started keeping it cut."

"Was is because of the company or because of the contracts?" Anastasia asked, wondering if it was a dom thing.

Christian shrugged. "Maybe a bit of both. It made me look older, more serious."

She slipped her hands through it again. God, he had beautiful hair. "I like it like this."

"Me too." Christian admitted.

Anastasia smiled. It was physical evidence that the stoic, intense, dominant Christian had released the reigns a little and let the carefree Christian shine.

XxXxXx

Anastasia was awoken on Sunday by Christian's lips against her own. She grinned against his lips, but refused to open her eyes.

"Ana.."

"Hmm?" She grunted, making him laugh.

"Are you still tired, baby? It's 10:00 am."

Her eyes popped open and she sat up. "Are you joking?" She looked at the alarm clock and saw that he wasn't. She couldn't believe she slept that late.

"You've had a hard week...maybe we shouldn't go to my parents..." Christian mentioned, pushing her hair away from her face.

"No, I like Sunday-Funday. I want to go. Just let me get a shower."

XxXxXx

"What car should we take, baby? Taylor is with Sophie today." Christian asked, staring at the lock box full of keys that was mounted on the side of the kitchen cabinets.

"I say we take your Porsche Turbo." Anastasia mentioned, grinning.

"My...what? That's a two-hundred _thousand_ dollar car, Ana! Are you crazy?"

Anastasia laughed. "Well, why do you have it if you aren't going to drive it?"

"I do drive it...but to my mother's?" Christian asked, uncertain.

"What are you worried about? Is someone going to steal it from the driveway?" Anastasia teased.

"They might! No...I won't drive it anywhere where I will have to leave it out in the open. I'll take you for a spin sometime when we can bring it back here and put it away, after." Christian told her.

Anastasia giggled. "You and your babies."

Christian grinned. "They _are_ my pride and joy." He agreed, making her roll her eyes.

"Some more than others?" She teased. "Okay...which ones life will you be willing to risk today?"

He scowled at her and took one threatening step forward, stomping as his foot went down. Anastasia screamed and ran the opposite way, giggling.

She heard his Puma's getting closer by the second and by the time she got to the piano, he had grabbed her, making her scream again.

"Gotchya! Thought you could run from me, Mrs. Grey?" He threw her on the couch and began to tickle her mercilessly.

"AH! Stop!" Anastasia asked, giggling. "Oh, please!" She begged, trying to catch her breath.

Christian gripped her waist and smiled down at her. "No one's ever run from me before. Another first, Anastasia."

"And you liked it." Anastasia mentioned, looking down at his bulge.

His smile widened and he leaned down to kiss her. "Maybe just a little." He leaned back down for a deeper kiss, but she kept it short.

"We're going to be late if we don't pick a car now." She laughed. "Wow...did I just say that? We're going to be late because you have so many cars that we can't choose between them? Rich people problems..." She shook her head and snorted.

" _We_ have cars, Anastasia."

She snorted again. "No... _you_ have cars. You honestly think I am going to claim a bunch of cars that you don't let me touch? Puh-lees."

Christian chuckled. "I can get you your own set."

Her eyes widened. "No, no. I don't want them...I do, however, want an SUV of some sort. I like sitting up higher. I feel like I can see more." She mentioned, standing and heading back into the kitchen.

He scurried in behind her. "You do? Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged. "It's not that big of deal. I love my Audi...and Sawyer drives a lot anyway."

She looked into the lockbox. "It's sunny today, baby. I want something that's a convertible and goes vroom vroom!"

Christian laughed and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Beautiful...all my cars goes vroom vroom."

She rolled her eyes. "We're going to end up in the R8 again, aren't we?"

He grinned and reached over her shoulder to pull out a set of keys. "How about the Maserati?"

She craned her head and looked up at him. "That's not much cheaper than the Porsche!"

Christian shrugged. "Yea...well, I'm not as attached to this one. Let's go."

Once they were in the car and he put the top down, she patted the dashboard in front of her. "Just because Daddy doesn't love you as much as that red thing over there, doesn't mean Mommy feels the same way." She told the Maserati Granturismo Convertible.

Christian let his head fall back with a laugh. "So dramatic, Mrs. Grey!" He grinned, pulling out of the parking space.

Once out of the garage, Anastasia stuck her sunglasses on and leaned her head back, enjoying the sun and the wind. She felt free; it was such a wonderful feeling after having such a terrible week.

"You look happy, Mrs. Grey." Christian mentioned, at a stoplight.

She turned her head and smiled at him. "I am happy. I needed this. I've got my husband, a convertible that goes vroom, and the sun." She held out her hand so he'd take it. He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

"I'm glad to hear it, baby."

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia walked up the driveway, hand-in-hand.

"Would you like me to carry you over this threshold, too?" Christian asked, grinning.

Anastasia laughed. "No...I think we're good on the whole threshold bit." Christian had spent the honeymoon carrying Anastasia over every new threshold he could. The plane, the yacht, every hotel room door...he had even tried to carry her into the Sistine Chapel, but she refused.

Christian opened the door for Anastasia and allowed her to go through first, giving her a whop on her jean-clad backside as she entered. She looked over her shoulder at him and wiggled her eyebrows. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her neck, while on their way through the house.

"Is that a hint of what's to come, later?" Christian whispered into her ear.

"No..." Anastasia breathed, "It's a promise."

Christian groaned. "My little sex kitten." He kissed her neck once more. "I love you, baby."

She smiled. "I love you, too."

They found the rest of the Grey's (minus Mia) and Kate on the back deck, soaking up the sun.

"Ana! You're back!" Kate exclaimed, noticing the French doors opening. She hurried over to Anastasia and hugged her.

Anastasia laughed. "I've been back for a week, Kate. I just haven't seen you."

"Obviously, Kate here doesn't care if I'm back..." Christian mentioned.

Kate's eyes widened. "Christian! Did you just...make a joke?"

"Are you insinuating that I am incapable of making a joke, Miss Kavanagh?"

"I'm not _insinuating_ anything! It's a fact." Kate retorted, making Christian laugh.

"I believe I just proved you wrong."

Kate shook her head in wonder. "Marriage has done you wonders! Ana...you're a miracle worker!"

"I agree with Kate, Ana. You have been so good for Christian." Grace said, pulling Anastasia in for a hug. When they parted, Anastasia smiled up at Grace and Grace's eyes widened.

"Anastasia! You're glowing!"

Anastasia laughed. "Marriage must agree with me, too, then. That, and Christian let us take the Maserati today."

"Ahh, man! You've got the Maserati? Can I see it?" Elliot asked, jumping out of his chair.

Christian grinned like a little boy and nodded. "Let's go!"

"Can we take it around the block?"

"I'll drive." Christian answered and gave Anastasia a peck on the cheek. "We'll be back in a few, wife."

Anastasia laughed. "Don't get yourself killed, husband...or pulled over!" She added.

Christian snorted. "Like the police cruiser could catch us!" He answered, shutting the French door quickly behind him.

"Christian!" Anastasia and Grace both admonished, but he was already gone.

Anastasia shook her head, grinning. "Boys and their toys."

"Ana..."

She turned and looked up at Carrick. "Hello, Mr. Grey."

He winced at the use of his last name. "That angry with me, still?"

Anastasia chewed the side of her lip. "I'm not angry at you for wanting Christian to have a prenup...but I am angry that you would do so behind his back and make it seem like he knew about it. I am also upset that you were angry with me for not betraying Christian and coming to you about the Elena thing."

Carrick sighed. "I'm sorry, Ana. I was just so angry at Christian for keeping it from us and hurt that he didn't feel that he could come to us. To be honest, I was angry at myself over Elena, too. I blame myself for not noticing what was going on. I feel like I should have known. I took it out in a very negative way and on the wrong people. I can't take back what I did, but I can apologize. I don't think you married him for his money. It is very obvious that you love my son and that you've had an incredible affect on his life. I've never seen my son so happy. I don't want this to ruin us. I do care for you, Ana and I do know that what I did was wrong. Again...I am so sorry."

Anastasia regarded him for a moment, before stepping over to him and wrapping her arms around his torso in a hug. "I forgive you."

Carrick hugged her to him. "Thank you, Ana."

"Anastasia...why don't you sit down and tell us how everything has been? How was the honeymoon?" Grace asked, wanting to change the subject.

"Oh, it was incredible...so perfect. Taylor asked Mrs. Jones to marry him in front of the Eiffle Tower at sunset." Anastasia answered, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down across from Grace.

"That is so romantic! So much love in the air!" Kate mentioned, holding her hand to her heart.

"So, how do you like married life?" Carrick asked. "I'm sure getting back to regular life after a month away was a little weird."

Anastasia nodded. "It's very weird..."

"What do you mean? Is something wrong between you and Christian?" Grace asked, worried.

Anastasia laughed. "Oh, no. Christian and I are wonderful. I, on the other hand..." She sighed and shook her head. Grace was a doctor...maybe she could help.

"What is it?" Grace pried.

"When I was younger...after that whole...incident when I was eleven, I started having terrible anxiety...so terrible in fact that my mother had to homeschool me because I was too scared to leave her or Ray. I was scared that my birth father was going to have them killed or hurt...or that I would be. I got my anxiety under control and was fine...but ever since we got back from Europe, my anxiety is back, full force. The whole time I'm at work, I worry about Christian...like something's going to happen to him or something. Some days it got so bad that I had full on panic attacks and made myself so sick that I couldn't eat...and when I did, I'd just throw it all up. And I feel exhausted all the time because it takes such a toll on me. I don't know why it's suddenly happening now. I don't know if I've formed an intense attachment to Christian while we were gone and having separation anxiety for that reason...or if it's because I'm bringing up my past with Flynn...or if it was just all the stress from the wedding finally manifesting itself..."

Grace looked at her for a minute before speaking. "And this didn't happen until after you got back from Europe?"

Anastasia nodded. "Right."

Grace opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, regarding Anastasia again. "Do you take any medications?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No...just vitamins."

"No allergy medications? Sinus? Maybe birth control?"

"No...nothing like that. I did get the birth control shot in July...do you think that could have something to do with it? Can it mess with your hormones?" Anastasia asked.

"It could...yes."

That answer made Anastasia much more at ease. She felt like she was headed into the right direction of finding out why.

XxXxXx

"Ugh! I am so full!" Anastasia mentioned, falling onto the couch that Christian was laying on while he and Elliot watched a ball game. She had just finished helping Grace with the dishes from lunch and was ready for a nap.

She curled up with Christian, nuzzling into his chest, and yawned.

"Mind if I nap while you watch tv?" She asked with her eyes already closed.

"You want to sleep? You just got up a few hours ago, baby..."

"I know...but, I'm just so tired, Christian." She said, through another yawn.

Christian sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Then sleep, Ana."

XxXxXx

Anastasia was awoken by Christian and Grace talking.

"You think it's serious?" Christian asked his mother.

"I think you should make sure." Grace answered.

Anastasia blinked a few times and lifted her head. "What's going on?"

"Ana...Christian's going to take you to the ED." Grace answered.

"What? Why? You didn't say that earlier!" Anastasia sat up. "I don't want to go."

"We're going." Christian told her.

"But she's making our favorite for dinner!" Anastasia whined.

"We'll wait for you, Ana. Please go." Grace answered, looking concerned.

Anastasia pouted.

"This isn't up for discussion, Ana. Get your shoes on." Christian told her.

Her eyes flickered to his and she saw just how serious he was.

"Now."


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N: So working in the ED, we always get those patients or family members that are complete assholes. I made Christian one of _those._ Just a side note: If you go to the ED...just be courteous and do as we say. We have to do everything a certain way and we just work there...we don't make the rules. It'll make it much easier on yourself and the department if you are compliant. Okay...side note over. Onto the story. **

Once at the hospital, Christian and Anastasia headed towards the concierge desk to sign in and were handed a paper. It had three questions:

1\. Name: _Anastasia Steele_

"What the hell is that?" Christian asked, looking at the paper.

She rolled her eyes. "My chart is under Anastasia Steele. I'll have them change it today."

2\. DOB: _September 10, 1989_

3\. Complaint:

Anastasia laughed. Her first thought was to put 'hot mess'. She looked over to Christian. "What should I put?"

He took the paper and pen from her.

3\. Complaint: _Panic attacks, vomiting, drowsiness._

Christian turned the paper over and back to the front. "That's it?"

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I'm sure we'll be asked more questions later." She took the paper from Christian and headed back to the concierge desk. The man typed in her information and printed out her armband.

"Does all the information on the armband look correct?" The concierge man asked.

"No. Her last name isn't Steele, anymore." Christian stated.

"Alright...well, registration will get that taken care of once you've settled into your room. Until then-" The man told Christian.

"No. It isn't her name." Christian cut in.

"Christian!" Anastasia sighed.

The concierge's eyes widened. "Mr. Grey! I am so sorry! I didn't recognize you. Hold on, let me get in here and change her name."

Anastasia's eyebrows furrowed. She hated that people treated them different because of who he was. She looked up at Christian and cocked an eyebrow.

"I paid for the new wing of the hospital." Christian whispered into her ear.

Her eyes widened. "Pediatric Oncology?"

He nodded.

Her eyes softened. Even though Christian could act like an asshole, he really did have a heart of gold.

"Okay, Mrs. Grey. I've fixed it for you. Now does it look correct?" The concierge asked.

"Yes, thank you." Anastasia answered, nodding.

"Please, stick out your wrist and I'll-"

"I'll do it. Thank you." Christian answered, holding out his hand for the armband.

"You're welcome, sir. Just have a seat and the triage nurse will be with you momentarily."

They had a seat and Anastasia held out her wrist so Christian could attach her armband.

"Finding new ways to brand and cuff me everyday, Mr. Grey." Anastasia teased, quietly.

Even though Christian had been in asshole mode, she saw a small smile form on his lips.

"Mrs. Grey?" The triage nurse called and they headed into the triage room.

"My name is Tori and I'll be your triage nurse. I'm going to get your vitals first, Mrs. Grey and then I'll ask you a few questions." The nurse explained while they sat down.

Tori wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Anastasia's arm and it started to inflate while she took her temperature with an ear gun.

"Your temperature is 99.8, Mrs. Grey...a little high." Tori mentioned, clicking away on the computer.

The blood pressure cuff beeped and the digital screen on the box popped up a number: 105/57

Tori frowned. "Normal is 120/80...have you been feeling dizzy, Mrs. Grey?"

Anastasia shook her head. "Tired. I've been sleeping a lot."

"Let me take your heartrate." Tori said, rolling over towards Anastasia and pressing two fingers onto her wrist.

Anastasia stayed quiet while the nurse kept an eye on her wristwatch and counted silently.

"96 beats per minute. Respirations are 14." Tori said out loud.

"Is that normal?" Christian asked, looking panicked.

"Heartrate is a little high for her size."

" _What_ is going on?" Christin asked, looking at Anastasia.

Anastasia looked up at him and noticed he looked scared. She shrugged.

"We'll get that answered for you soon, Mr. Grey. I've got a few questions for you and then I'm going to have you go to the restroom and pee in a cup and we'll get you to your room." Tori answered, calmly. Anastasia smiled at her, appreciative that Tori didn't allow Christian to intimidate her.

Tori asked her the normal questions: Height, weight, medications, last menstrual cycle, vaccinations, etc.

"Do you feel safe at home?" Tori asked, searching Anastasia's face.

"What the fuck does that mean?!" Christian asked starting to jump up. Anastasia grabbed him and pulled him back down.

"I'm sorry, sir...but we have to ask everyone." Tori answered.

Tori looked at Anastasia. "Are you safe?"

"This is ridiculous!" Christian growled.

"Christian! Stop!"

"You might find it ridiculous, sir...but to our patients who don't have the courage to tell anyone at home, it's a lifesaver. We have patients who come in, feeling safe enough here to be able to tell us that someone is hurting them. 90% of domestic abuse victims coming in for healthcare will not offer up the information, but only 20% of them will deny it if we ask. That's a whole lot of people we save, Mr. Grey." Tori answered, cutting off his tantrum.

"What do you do if someone says yes?" Anastasia asked.

"We immediately call the police and, if the abuser is here, we call security, whose office is inside our department." Tori explained.

"Wow...that's incredible." Anastasia mentioned. "But, yes. I am safe." Anastasia answered, taking Christian's hand. She suddenly felt incredibly grateful to have him.

"So, what brings you in today?"

"Long version or short version?" Anastasia asked, smiling.

Tori laughed. "Just the short version for now. You can tell the doctor the long version later."

"I've had terrible anxiety over the last week. There were a few days I had to leave work early because the panic attacks were so bad that I would get sick and throw up. I end up exhausted all the time and want to do nothing, but sleep." Anastasia explained.

"I see..." Tori mentioned, clicking and typing away on the computer. Once she was done, she turned to Anastasia and stood up. "Let's get your urine sample done and get you back to your room."

XxXxXx

Anastasia stepped out of the restroom with her sample and handed it to Tori.

"That's all?"

Anastasia looked at it and shrugged.

"Ana...did you go before we left?" Christian asked.

"No..."

"Well...it looks like you might be dehydrated...which explains a lot. Let me get you to your room and I'll let the doctor know. He'll probably be having your nurse pushing fluids through an IV for awhile." Tori mentioned, zipping the cup up in a biohazard bag.

"This is your room. Your gown is on the bed...go ahead and change into it. You may leave on your under garments." Tori told them before pulling the curtain and shutting the door.

Christian helped her into her gown and got her settled into the bed. He pulled his chair up next to her and put an arm around her, his head resting on her shoulder while she sat in the upright position.

"You okay, Mr. Grey?" Anastasia asked, kissing his forehead. He seemed to be having a harder time being there than she was.

"I should have brought you earlier. This is all my fault."

"Don't be silly! I'm a grown woman. I refused to come." She told him, leaning her cheek against his head.

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you, Ana! What would Ray think?" Christian squeezed her tighter. "I am so sorry, Ana. I'm a terrible husband."

"You stop it! You are wonderful, Christian! Please don't make this worse. We're here now."

There was a knock on the door. "Mrs. Grey? May I come in?"

"Yes!" Anastasia called and saw a male nurse dressed in dark blue scrubs come around the curtain.

"Hello, Mrs. Grey. My name is Aaron. I'll be your nurse this evening. Tori has spoken to Dr. Kyzer and he has decided to get you started on IV fluids. He wants some labs drawn, too, so while I go and get the equipment for your IV, the lab will come and take your blood."

Anastasia nodded. "Thank you."

XxXxXx

"I can't find your vein, Mrs. Grey...Let me try one more-"

"No! You are obviously incapable of doing your job. You will not be stabbing my wife again! Get someone else." Christian barked at the woman.

The lab tech had poked Anastasia four times, trying to find a vein and by this point, Anastasia was in tears.

"I am capable of doing my job, Mr. Grey! Your wife is severely dehydrated!" The lab tech barked back.

"Get out. Get someone else!" Christian told her, pulling Anastasia closer to his chair and away from the tech.

The tech stormed out and Anastasia sniffled.

"Are you okay?" Christian asked, wiping at her tears.

"I'm fine. I just hate needles and she kept digging and I could feel my chest starting to tighten."

Christian kissed her temple. "I'm sorry. That woman should be fired."

"Christian...no. Just let it go."

Aaron entered again with the IV stuff and Anastasia let out a whimper. Aaron gave her a small smile. "I promise I'll be gentle."

Two minutes later, he had the IV in and running.

"Now...we're pushing these fluids, so it's going to be coming in fast...which means it might burn just a little. It's also a little cold, so your arm might get a little cold."

Anastasia smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Christian hopped off his chair and held out his hand. "Thank you for taking such good care of my wife."

Aaron shook his hand. "Oh, absolutely, sir. We still need those labs, so I'm going to go get the butterfly needle and the lab tubes and I'll draw them myself. Would you like anything? Ice water? Warm blanket from the heater?"

Anastasia grinned and nodded excitedly. "Both, please! I love those warm blankets."

XxXxXx

"Hello, Anastasia! I'm Dr. Kyzer." The doctor said, coming into her room.

"Hello." Anastasia said, smiling.

Christian stood up and shook his hand. "Dr. Kyzer."

"Ah, Christian! Nice to see you! I haven't seen your mother in ages! How is she?"

"She's well, sir. She was the one who suggested we come." Christian answered.

Dr. Kyzer nodded. "Wise choice. Your wife is extremely dehydrated. So...Anastasia. What has been going on?"

Anastasia explained everything that had happened within the last week while Dr. Kyzer took notes.

"Hmm...I see. I want to look you over and make sure everything is working correctly. I want to make sure that this is just a dehydration issue with your lack of urine output and not a kidney problem."

He listened to her lungs and her abdomen, he checked out her eyes, nose, ears, and throat, and then had her lay back while he pushed on her abdomen. When nothing seemed swollen or sensitive, he had her roll to her side and pressed on her lower back, where her kidneys were located. Nothing swollen or tender there either.

"Okay, Anastasia. Go ahead and get comfortable. Once your labs are back, I'll look them over and hopefully we'll have our answer."

Anastasia settled into her bed and yawned.

"Sleep, Ana." Christian urged, kissing her lips.

"But what about you?" Anastasia asked, not wanting to make him sit there while she slept.

He smiled. "I think I'm capable of keeping myself entertained for awhile, baby. I do have a blackberry..."

"You won't leave the room while I'm asleep, will you?" Anastasia asked, worried.

He leaned down and kissed he 'V' that had formed on her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere, baby."

XxXxXx

"I need to ask Mrs. Grey."

"You will not wake her! She's exhausted. I am her husband. I will tell you what you need to know."

Anastasia's eyes fluttered open and she saw a girl with a cart that had a computer on it and Christian standing across from her.

"What's going on?"

"Great! You woke her up! She needs her rest!" Christian growled.

"Christian!" Anastasia admonished. "She's just doing her job!"

Christian sighed and sat in his seat, taking her hand. "You're sick, baby. You need rest."

"I can answer a few questions, Christian." She looked up to the girl and nodded. "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grey."

She went over her demographics: name, address, DOB, phone number, marital status, and even email address. Anastasia realized a lot had changed since she was there last.

"For emergency contacts I have Raymond Steele, Carla Wilks, and Jose Rodriguez?" The girl asked.

Anastasia heard Christian growl and she shook her head. "Take Jose off. Add Christian."

"Are you wanting him to have access to your medical information?"

Christian squeezed Anastasia's hand tighter. She knew he was trying his best not to go off on the poor girl. "Yes, of course."

The girl nodded. "Now...I see here that your insurance has lapsed..."

"Oh! It's changed...baby...do you have your card on you? I haven't received mine, yet." Anastasia asked, looking up at Christian.

Christian reached into his back pocket and grabbed his wallet, pulling out the insurance card and handing it to the girl.

"You're the subscriber, Mr. Grey?"

"Yes."

"What's your social security number?"

Christian scowled. "Why the hell do you need that?"

"To bill the insurance, sir."

He shook his head, but raddled off the numbers to her.

"And DOB?"

"What the fuck?"

"It's June 18th, 1983." Anastasia answered, sick of his mouth.

He turned and scowled at Anastasia. "Don't look at me like that! She is just doing her job! What if she worked for you and she didn't follow procedure because someone was giving her a hard time?"

Christian sighed and nodded. "Fine."

Anastasia was pretty well annoyed with Christian at this point.

When the girl was finished, Anastasia rounded on her husband.

"You know, for someone who is worried about my well-being you sure are making it extremely hard for the hospital to do their job!"

Christian's eyes widened. "Anastasia...I'm...I'm sorry. I know I'm being an asshole. I'm angry at myself for waiting so long and I'm a nervous wreck, trying to wait for the results of the test. I hate that you are in this hospital bed. I feel completely helpless...I can't even keep my wife safe and healthy!"

"You have to stop blaming yourself. Please, Christian. We'll get the results soon. Come lay next to me." Anastasia told him, sliding over in the small bed so he could climb in.

XxXxXx

"Knock, Knock Anastasia!" Dr. Kyzer called, sticking his head in. Christian stood from the bed and crossed his arms.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Christian asked, looking distressed.

"Nothing is wrong with her, Christian...besides her dehydration..."

Christian's shoulders relaxed. "Oh, thank God!"

Anastasia sighed and relaxed back into her pillow.

"Nothing is wrong... _however_...Anastasia...you _are_ pregnant."

Anastasia's breath left her lungs and she stared up at the doctor. "But..but...but that's impossible! I'm on birth control!"

"Obviously, it failed." Dr. Kyzer answered.

"But..but...oh fuck!" Anastasia started to hyperventilate.

"Breathe, Anastasia!" The doctor urged moving toward her.

Christian grabbed her shoulders. "Look at me, baby. Right at me. Deep slow breaths..."

When she got her bearings she looked back up at the doctor. "Why am I such a mess? Normal pregnant women aren't like this."

"You have a history of anxiety, Ana. We've seen that women who have a history of anxiety tend to have a hard time with it during their pregnancy. It's kind of like it's sitting dormant in your system and the change in estrogen and progesterone kind of makes it flare up. It'll get better during your second trimester, but might come through every now and again in your third while your body tries to get ready for childbirth." Dr. Kyzer explained.

Anastasia frowned. "How do I deal with it until then?"

"I suggest you go to a therapist and they can teach you therapeutic exercises to help relieve some of your anxiety without the use of pharmaceuticals."

"We're seeing Dr. Flynn in the morning." Christian told him.

Dr. Kyzer nodded. "Wonderful. Now...if you are feeling up to it, I'll discharge you. It looks like your second bag of fluid is almost done. Just remember to drink lots of water and to dilute any juice or sports drink you have...you need to stay hydrated throughout your pregnancy so that your baby has enough bloodflow to the placenta. You should make an appointment with your OB doctor as soon as you can."

Anastasia nodded. "I want to go." It took everything in her to keep herself together while the doctor was in the room.

"I'll go get your discharge paperwork started, then. I'll have Aaron come and unhook you from your IV and take your vitals one last time, then you can get dressed."

"Thank you, Dr. Kyzer." Christian stood again and shook the doctor's hand.

"You're welcome, Christian. Take care of her. She still doesn't look like she's taking the news very well."

When the doctor left, Anastasia burst into tears. "This can't be happening! I'm only twenty-two years old! I don't understand what happened! I did what I was supposed to! We're not ready for this!"

Christian sat on the side of the bed and held her against him. "Everything will be fine, baby. Everything will work out."

"Please don't leave me." Anastasia whispered against his shoulder.

"What? Oh, Ana...I would never leave you." Christian kissed the top of her head.

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes, you can, Ana. We'll do it together." He rubbed her back. "Why don't I text Mom and tell her we're not coming? We can go home and curl up and watch a movie."

Anastasia shook her head. "No, we told her we were coming back. If we don't, then she'll know something is wrong. Text her and tell her we're being discharged and we'll be there soon." She sniffled and sat up straight.

"You sure?" Christian asked, wiping her tears. "You know I don't care what they think."

Anastasia nodded. "I'm sure."

XxXxXx

The car ride to the Grey's was a quiet one; both needed the time to process the news. When Christian pulled into the driveway, he turned to Anastasia.

"How do you feel?"

She looked up at him and thought about it for a moment. At this point, she was pretty numb.

"To be honest? Hungry." She answered.

A smile formed on Christian's face and he laughed. "Okay, baby. Let's go eat."

Once they were in the door, they were met by Grace. Anastasia looked at her and bit her lip.

"You're pregnant." Grace stated, knowing.

Anastasia let out a sob and hid her face in her hands. Grace pulled her in for a hug and smoothed down her hair.

"Oh, Ana...Shh...it'll be okay..."

"I don't understand what I did wrong." Anastasia admitted.

"Ana...you did nothing wrong. This was all meant to happen..." When Ana snorted, Grace continued. "It's true! Think about it. Your birth control is 97% effective and yet, you got pregnant. This baby was meant to happen. This baby is going to be special...this is God's doing."

Anastasia wasn't so sure about that, but she felt herself calm anyway.

"Christian...how are you feeling?" Grace asked. Anastasia turned and looked up at him. She saw that he had his mask on. Unreadable.

"It's happened. We'll deal with it." Christian answered. Anastasia's heart clenched at his answer. Maybe he was angrier than he had let on earlier. She chewed on her lip and looked down at her white Keds.

"The food is ready. Are you two ready? Do you need a few minutes?" Grace asked, smoothing Anastasia's hair again.

Anastasia looked up from her shoes to Christian. "Come, Ana. Let's eat." Christian held out his hand and she stepped over to take it.

XxXxXx

"Anastasia! Are you okay?" Kate asked when she saw them enter the dining room and hurried over to hug Anastasia.

Anastasia nodded and hugged Kate. "Super dehydrated." Anastasia answered.

"Speaking of...Anastasia...sit down. I'll go get you a bottle of water." Christian said, pulling out her seat for her.

"I'll get it, Christian. Stay with Ana." Grace told him, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Why does she want Christian to stay with you? What's going on, Ana?" Kate asked, as she took her spot, looking worried.

"I'm a bit of an emotional wreck." Anastasia answered, shrugging. Christian pulled her chair against his, the armless chairs making a loveseat, and slipped his arm between her and the back of the dining chair, holding her against his side.

"Why?" Kate asked.

"My anxiety is just high." Anastasia answered, annoyed. She took in a deep breath and let it slowly, trying to hide her annoyance.

"There's something you aren't telling us!" Kate said, raising her voice. "Ana! We are your family! You can tell us anything! It...it isn't cancer, is it?" Kate asked, looking near tears.

Anastasia sighed, feeling bad for making her friend think the worst. "No...no. Nothing like that."

Grace came back in with the water and Anastasia thanked her.

Kate visibly relaxed. "Then what is it?"

Anastasia looked up at Christian and he looked down at her, concerned.

"I...I'm..." Anastasia felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow back her tears. "I...I can't." She shook her head. "Christian..." She looked back up to him and felt her tears leak down her face. He searched her face and she could see the sadness in his eyes.

"She's pregnant." Christian answered for her, his eyes not leaving Anastasia's. He reached up and wiped the tears out of her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

"Oh! But that's wonderful news!" Kate made to stand, but Grace put her hand up, motioning for her to stay. "Isn't it?" Kate asked.

Anastasia shrugged. "Unexpected."

Elliot snorted. "You let my brother knock you up?"

"Elliot!" Everyone, but Anastasia yelled.

Christian jumped out off his seat, Kate smacked him on the back of the head, and Grace sat there with her hand over her mouth. Anastasia sat in her seat, staring at Elliot with wide, tear-filled eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Carrick asked.

Christian bent over the table and scowled at his brother. "I will beat the shit out of you. Apologize to Ana. Now."

Elliot put his hands up. "I didn't mean it like _that,_ I just meant...I just never thought I'd see _you_ get a girl pregnant. I'm sorry, Anastasia...I didn't mean to offend you."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Elliot has a terrible way with words, Ana. He doesn't think before he speaks. I'm sure he meant nothing of it."

Anastasia nodded and blinked, wiping a stray tear off of her face. She reached up and grabbed the arm of his buttondown, where his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. She yanked on it so he would sit down. Once he sat she turned a little and rested her back so it sat in the crook between his arm and his side. She didn't care that they were about to eat. She just wanted...needed to be close.

"Why don't we eat?" Grace asked, standing to serve the food.

"Wonderful idea, honey. I'll get us some wine. I think we all need some." Carrick answered, kissing his wife's temple on his way.

Christian tightened his grip on Anastasia and kissed her forehead. "I've got you." He whispered in her ear.

A small smile formed on her face. "I know."

XxXxXx

They laid in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. Anastasia was in the crook between his arm and his body, her head nestled in the point of his shoulder. It had been quiet for awhile, but neither one of them could sleep.

"Anastasia...I need you to be honest with me." Christian said, into the dark. "Is the reason why your upset, because it's my baby you're having?"

Anastasia gasped and pushed up on one elbow turning to look at him. "Of course not! Where did that come from?"

"I'm fifty shades of fucked up, Ana. I'm a monster...what if they end up like me?" Christian's looked haunted.

"You are no such thing!" Anastasia rolled onto her stomach, leaning against his abdomen so she could look straight down at him. "Everyone has their issues, Christian. You did what you needed to do to cope with them. This child will not have to go through the things you had to. You're an incredible person, baby. You have so much love to give. You're going to be a wonderful father. If our child has any issues...it'll be being spoiled. I know you're going to spoil them rotten."

Christian smirked. "I'll try not to..." He lifted his hand and wrapped his finger around a piece of her hair. "So, you don't mind carrying my child?"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Holy shit. I'm carrying your child."

Christian laughed. "Just sink in, did it?"

Anastasia nodded. "We're going to have a child...like a living breathing thing that will depend on us for survival...that poor thing...I can't even keep a plant alive." She sighed and rolled onto her back, staring up the ceiling again.

Christian grinned. "I'm sure you'll be great. They don't call it mother's instinct for nothing."

"How do you feel about this, Christian? Be honest." She turned her head and looked up at him.

He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "Honestly? I'm terrified."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "You are?"

Christian nodded against his pillow. "I am...but it isn't a bad terrified. More like an excited terrified...a new adventure in a way."

Anastasia sighed. "I hope I'm up for it."

"I need to speak to Elliot about starting on our house. I want to be in before this little thing comes." Christian mentioned, placing his hand on her stomach. "I want to bring them home to a house that isn't tainted."

Anastasia sighed. "There's a lot to figure out."

Christian rubbed her stomach. "One day at a time. We'll get there." He rolled to his side and kissed her. "Thank you, Ana."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "For what?"

"For letting me knock you up." Christian answered, grinning.

Anastasia laughed. "Not sure if I _let_ it happen or if you were even _trying._ "

Christian smiled. "Super sperm."

Anastasia snorted. "You better check yourself, or that ego of yours won't be able to fit through the bedroom door tomorrow."

Christian chuckled. "I love you, Anastasia. So much."

She nodded. "I love you, too."

He nuzzled his nose against hers. "Can I show you now?"

A grin formed on Anastasia's face. "If you must."

"Oh...I must!" He said, jumping up onto his knees and pulling her under him, making her giggle.

 **A/N: So you people are impossible to try and trick. I purposely wrote that A/N a couple chapters back trying to trick you into thinking it was pregnancy, but none of you bought it.**


	36. Chapter 35

Christian pulled away from her lips and hurried to get her chemise off. "It's been so long, baby. I'm not going to last long."

Anastasia shook her head. "It won't take me long either. I feel like I'm going to burst, Christian. Please, just touch me."

He slipped his hand into her panties and rubbed against her clit, making her moan loudly and flex her hips into his fingers.

"How's that, baby?" Christian asked kissing her neck.

"So good…oh, wow!" Her head fell back. It was like her whole body was lighting up. The waves of pleasure shot down her legs and up to her breasts every time he stroked her.

He kissed her lips. "Your clit is so swollen baby. Is it sensitive? You're louder than normal."

"Mmm, yes! It feels so good. I'm sorry, Christian…" She bit her lip to try and keep herself quiet.

"Don't you dare. Let me hear you, Ana. I want to hear how good I'm making you feel." He kissed down her neck and bit her pulse point, pressing harder against her clit and moving his fingers faster.

"Fuck! Oh, Christian! Oh, please... Don't stop!" Her hips rose off the bed and she gripped the sheets as the invisible rubber band broke and her orgasm flooded through her.

While she laid there panting, Christian slipped her panties off of her and sat on his knees between her legs, staring at her by the light from the skyline.

"You are so beautiful, baby. I haven't seen you like this in so long." He told her, running his hands up her thighs.

She giggled. "It's been six days."

"That's a long time. I never want to go that long again without seeing this body." He leaned down and kissed her stomach.

"Wait until the baby comes. You'll be waiting six weeks."

His lips stopped in mid-kiss and his eyes looked up at her. "Huh?" He asked against her skin, making her giggle again. "Shit. Better enjoy this now." He kept kissing up her abdomen and stopped at her breasts.

"Your body's already changing, baby." He mentioned as he looked down at her breasts, before taking a nipple into his mouth.

"Easy! Be nice." Anastasia stated when he sucked too hard. "They're sensitive." He released the suction and swirled his tongue around her nipple.

"Mmm….yes, much better." Anastasia mentioned, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

He released her nipple and continued back down to her abdomen, kissing on his way.

"Don't worry baby Grey, Mommy might be screaming, but don't be fooled, she likes it." He whispered.

"Christian!" Anastasia admonished and giggled. "Not sure baby Grey can hear yet."

He smiled up at her and traveled down further, spreading her thighs wider as his mouth found her center.

She gasped and her hips automatically rose. He groaned against her center.

"I've missed this, baby. You are so wet and so swollen. I'm going to take my time."

After her third, mind-shattering orgasm of the night, he climbed up her body, sucking and nipping as he went.

He pressed his forehead against hers and moved himself so that his tip was at her opening. "This pregnancy is going to be so much fun, baby. Just as I thought you couldn't be any more responsive…you prove me wrong." He pushed himself slowly into her and she cried out, digging her nails into his back. His back arched and he hissed.

She pulled her hands away and gasped. "I am so sorry, Christian!"

He shook his head and started to slowly pump in and out of her. "No, don't be. That felt incredible. Do it again."

Her hands went around him and she started to run her nails lightly down his back. He quickened his pace and her nails dug deeper.

"Yes, baby...Yes…just like that!" He urged, his eyes squeezed shut and his jaw clenched. "Dig into my shoulder blades, Ana!"

She did as he requested and held on tight, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Fuck, Ana…you are so swollen…you feel like fucking heaven. Shit…" He hissed and tried to concentrate on keeping a rhythm, but his thrusts were wild and uncontrolled. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up into the sitting position and he held onto her by her ass as he continued to piston himself into her.

Anastasia cried out when she sank deeper onto him. "Yes! Christian…Oh Fuck! Baby…I'm coming!"

"Thank fuck…yes, Ana…let go, baby. Milk me…squeeze me tight, beautiful." Christian panted.

Anastasia screamed and bit down on his shoulder as she came. He continued to thrust through her orgasm and then let himself release.

"Oh, Ana! Fuck!"

Her body slumped against his and he laid them down.

"I…am…so…exhausted." Anastasia panted, trying to catch her breath. "That was the best sex of my life."

"I am keeping you pregnant for the rest of our lives." Christian mentioned, sprawled out next to her. "Fuck…that was so good."

Anastasia turned toward Christian and entwined her legs with his. "It's sleep time. Goodnight, Christian."

He turned and pulled her against him, clinging to her. "Goodnight, Ana-baby."

XxXxXx

Anastasia walked out of the bedroom and saw that Christian was talking to Taylor and Sawyer.

"Sawyer…I need to know I can trust you. You're officially responsible for two lives now. I need to make sure you're taking your job seriously… I need to know that Ana is safe…the two most precious things in my life are going to be in your hands. I don't care what she says…if it looks like something is wrong, you need to let me know." Christian told Sawyer.

The two men looked confused for a moment and looked over to Anastasia, who was on her way over. The reality hit at the same time and both men's eyes widened.

"Surprise!" Anastasia announced, throwing her hands up. "Nice way to announce it, Christian. In true Christian fashion… How about when we tell my parents…we come up with something a little nicer, yea?" Anastasia said scowling at him.

"I'm sorry, Anastasia. I just want Sawyer to know just how important his job is." Christian told her, but he didn't sound all that sorry.

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Can I be the one to tell Gail, at least?"

Christian smiled at her. "Be my guest."

Anastasia's eyes narrowed before she set off to the kitchen to find Mrs. Jones. When she entered, she saw Mrs. Jones bustling around the kitchen, humming and smiling to herself.

"Good morning, Gail."

The housekeeper turned and smiled brightly at Anastasia. "Good morning, Ana! How are you feeling? Sit and have breakfast! I've made little baby pancakes, and we have little baby grapes, and I cut the bacon into little baby bites-"

"He told you! Ugh! I'll kill him! CHRISTIAN TREVELYAN GREY! GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Anastasia screamed, stomping her foot.

His head popped around the corner, grinning. "She doesn't have anything she could throw at me, does she?" He asked Gail.

Anastasia let out a frustrated growl. "You told! You told everyone!" Anastasia's eyes suddenly widened. "You didn't call my parents did you?"

Christian's eyebrows shot up and he came closer. "Do you think I'd honestly call your father and tell him what I did to you?"

Anastasia shook her head and laughed, covering her face in her hands. Christian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

Her hands slid down her face. "You told Gail. I wanted to tell her." She told him, pouting.

"Aw…I'm sorry. I was just so excited. I didn't mean to." Christian told her, leaning and kissing her pout away. "Come, let's eat so we can go see Flynn."

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia had just left Dr. Flynn's office and were now sitting in their room at the OB's office. Dr. Flynn had spent the last hour showing them breathing techniques and calming exercises for Anastasia to do and for Christian to help with.

"Stupid paper gown." Anastasia murmured when she moved and heard it rip a little. She hated how hard it was to keep covered in that tiny paper gown when it was open in the front. She pulled up the white sheet to her neck, feeling extremely exposed.

They were seeing a new OB doctor today; her name was Dr. Greene. Christian wasn't keen on going back to the OB that had given Anastasia the shot that failed, so he took it upon himself to find another doctor. Dr. Greene was supposed to be the best in Seattle.

There was a knock before the door opened and a dark headed woman with green eyes entered. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Grey. My name is Dr. Greene."

They said their hellos and Dr. Greene grabbed the doctor's stool and had a seat.

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Grey?" She asked, looking down at her chart. "I see that you went to the ED with complaints of anxiety, nausea, and sleepiness and found out you were dehydrated and pregnant?"

Anastasia nodded. "Yes, that's right. Please, call me Ana."

Dr. Greene smiled up at her. "Okay, Ana. How are you feeling now?"

"I feel fine this morning, so far."

"How is your anxiety?"

"It's nonexistent right now. We went to see our therapist this morning and he gave us exercises to do when my anxiety gets bad." Anastasia explained.

Dr. Greene nodded and wrote in her chart. "That's great. When did your last period start, Ana?"

"July 18th."

"July 18th….alright…" Dr. Greene pulled out her cell phone and tapped away on it. "Your due date is going to be April 24th. You are about 7 weeks along."

Anastasia looked over at Christian and grinned. He smiled back at her and squeezed her hand.

"Okay, I'm going to check you out first and then we'll do the ultrasound. I'm going to have to ask you to lie down and pull the sheet down."

Anastasia did as she requested and Dr. Greene opened her gown and started to push in circles around her breasts. "Does any of this hurt?"

"No…they just feel full." Anastasia answered.

Dr. Greene nodded. "They probably are fuller. The breasts start changing right from the beginning. Really…everything does. All the estrogen and progesterone in the system is forcing your body into a hormonal overload."

"Her nipples are darker…" Christian mentioned, looking worried.

"That's normal. Nothing to worry about."

The doctor continued down her abdomen, pressing and checking for anything abnormal before closing Anastasia's paper gown and pulling her sheet up.

"This is a big week in your baby's development. The baby is twice as big as she was last week and her pancreas, liver and intestines have formed. Her hands and feet are forming, too." The Dr. explained, giving some fun facts while she washed her hands, turned off the light and turned on the ultrasound machine.

"She?" Christian asked.

"It's what we call all fetuses until they are assigned a gender. We all start as female, Mr. Grey. The amount of testosterone is what makes the testicles and penis form." Dr. Greene explained. "Now…unfortunately, this first one has to be transvaginal…so I'm going to have to ask you to put your legs in the stirrups and scoot down a bit."

Anastasia did as she asked and Dr. Greene rolled the white sheet up to her knees. "I'll try to keep you covered as much as I can. I know it can be uncomfortable." Dr. Greene slipped on some gloves.

"Thank you." Anastasia smiled at her while Christian repositioned her pillow behind her head. He stood next to her and took her hand, looking anxious.

Once the doctor had the wand in position, she turned the screen on. "Here we are…nice and clear. This…" The doctor points to the screen, "is your baby. Let's listen to the heartbeat." She hit a button and a cracking sound came through the speakers. She moved the wand a tad and a wooshing sound came through.

Anastasia gasped and covered her mouth. Christian kissed her temple and nuzzled his nose against her ear. He sniffled and she saw he had tears in his eyes, fueling her own tears.

He kissed her lips. "That's our baby, Ana." He whispered.

She giggled. "I know."

He shook his head and looked back toward the screen. "This is just incredible."

"Would you like some pictures?" Dr. Greene asked.

"Well, fuck yes! Do they come in wallet size, too?" Christian asked, making the women laugh.

"Sorry, Mr. Grey. One size only."

XxXxXx

As they were leaving the maternity clinic hand-in-hand, they were hounded by photographers.

"What the fuck?" Christian growled. He pulled Anastasia against his side and started pushing through them to get to the garage on the other side of the street.

Anastasia could hear them yelling questions at her, but she tried to ignore them and clung tighter to his waist. Someone jostled them and Anastasia lost her balance and almost fell to the ground before Christian caught her.

He cupped her face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Anastasia nodded. She saw the look on his face and tried to stop him. "Christian…let's just go!"

Christian turned around and got in the photographer's face. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You already fucking know she's pregnant! How dare you risk the life of my wife and unborn child for a good picture!" He grabbed the man's camera and threw it to the ground, letting it shatter. "How's that for your fucking picture? You're lucky I don't beat the shit out of you right here!" Christian screamed while dozens of camera lights were flashing.

Anastasia pulled on Christian's arm. "Christian! Please! Stop!" She tried to yell over the voices of all the paparazzi.

Christian turned toward her and wrapped his arms around her, looking over her face. "Let's just go, Christian…please." Anastasia asked, quietly.

A black Audi SUV came to a halt in the middle of the street and Sawyer and Taylor both jumped out.

"Oh, thank fuck." Christian murmured. Sawyer and Taylor pushed through the crowd and surrounded Ana. Taylor stood on her left, Christian on her right, while Sawyer pushed through the crowd in front. Anastasia grabbed onto the back of his jacket and the three followed him.

"What are you doing?" Christian asked.

"I always hold on when there are paparazzi around. That way I don't lose him." Anastasia explained as they made it to the SUV.

Christian handed his car keys to Sawyer and once Sawyer got them into the SUV, he headed off to the garage while Taylor jumped into the driver's seat of the SUV.

"How the fuck did they know?" Christian barked, holding Anastasia close.

"I don't know, sir. We saw them announce it on Channel 4 News and ran for the SUV." Taylor told him.

"Fuck. Take Anastasia to work first. I want to see if there are people swarming there, too." Christian told Taylor.

Anastasia sat, doing her breathing exercise.

"How are we doing, Mrs. Grey?" Christian asked, rubbing her stomach.

She smiled and leaned against him. "We are doing just fine, Mr. Grey."

The longer Anastasia sat there, the more she wondered how everything was getting leaked. The paparazzi always knew when something happened between her and Christian…someone seemed to sneak pictures of her when she hadn't even realized. She hadn't looked at the fan page of hers, yet…and she wasn't going to, but maybe it would give her some clues to where these people were hiding. She didn't want to get Christian all riled up, so she decided she'd wait until she was at work to look.

Taylor's phone rang and he touched the Bluetooth in his ear. "Taylor. Yes, Sawyer…perfect. Thank you. ETA two minutes." Taylor's finger went back up to his ear.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Yes, Taylor."

"Sawyer is parked behind SIP now. He said they are hounding the front. I'll head around back."

"Thank you, Taylor."

"Sawyer will be there when you leave?" Anastasia asked, looking up at Christian.

"Yes, Ana…I don't want to hear-"

"No, no. I'm glad. I don't want anything to happen. Like you said, it's not just me I have to worry about anymore." Anastasia told Christian, cutting him off.

Christian held her tighter. "Sawyer, Taylor, and I will do everything in our power to keep you safe, Ana. I swear if you get pushed again, I will kill someone…if I hadn't caught you…who knows what could have happened." Christian's jaw clenched and Anastasia noticed Taylor's doing the same.

"You'll have to get in line, sir." Taylor mentioned, making Anastasia grin.

"I knew you'd learn to love me!" She teased. Taylor smiled at her through the rearview mirror.

They pulled around to the back and saw the R8 sitting by the back entrance. Sawyer jumped out and stood, waiting for the SUV to come to a stop. Sawyer opened the door for Anastasia and she slipped out with Christian right behind her.

"Here are your keys, sir." Sawyer said, handing Christian the keys to the R8.

"Thanks, Sawyer. Let's get Mrs. Grey inside."

Once they were in the lobby and Sawyer and Taylor had checked the floor, Christian and Taylor decided they'd leave.

"You sure you don't want to work from my office today?" Christian asked, pouting while he held her close.

Anastasia giggled. "No, Christian. I want to work in _my_ office."

Christian sighed. "I don't want to leave you two, yet."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Listen…we've got thirty-three more weeks if this before baby Grey comes. We can't start this already."

"Fine. But I'm going to conference you at lunch to make sure you're eating and feeling okay. We'll have a cyber date." Christian told her.

"Alright, Mr. Grey. It's a date. Now go get to work so I can do the same." He kissed her lips and rubbed her stomach one last time before Anastasia pushed him toward the back entrance and swatted at his backside to get him going.

She shook her head as she watched him leave. This was going to be one long pregnancy.

"Good morning, Olivia. Would you mind getting me some ice water and a straw?" Anastasia asked, heading to the front desk.

"Of course, Ana. No tea?" Olivia looked shocked.

"Unfortunately, no. Not until I can buy some decaf." Anastasia answered.

Olivia's smile widened, realizing the rumors were true. "Congratulations, Ana."

Anastasia smiled back at her. "Thank you, Olivia. I'll be in my office. Good morning, Benjamin!" She greeted, on her way back to her office with Sawyer.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grey."

It took an hour for Anastasia to check her email and reply to them. When she hit send on the last one, she sighed and sat back in her seat. That was the part of the job she hated the most. Emails were not her thing.

She decided to go ahead and check out that website Emily had mentioned. She wasn't sure what the URL was, but she knew she was on the right page when she saw the picture of her and Emily at Red Lobster.

She scrolled down through the pictures and she felt her heart skip a beat. She scrolled faster.

"Sawyer!"


	37. Chapter 36

"Sawyer!" Anastasia yelled, grabbing her cell phone to call Christian.

Sawyer, who was standing guard in the hallway, opened her door and rushed in.

"What is it, Mrs. Grey?"

"Shut the door and come here!"

Christian's phone was ringing. "Come on...answer..." she whispered.

She turned the computer monitor towards Sawyer. "Look! Look at these pictures! Look where they were taken!"

Sawyer took her chair and pushed her and the chair to the side so he could get better access to the computer. He started clicking away on it and Christian's phone went to voicemail.

"Shit. Of all times to not answer the phone!" Anastasia complained, hitting the redial button.

"I'm calling Taylor, Mrs. Grey." Sawyer told her, putting the phone to his ear.

This time, Christian answered. "Ana? Ana, what's wrong?"

"Someone has been taking pictures of me from inside SIP." Anastasia answered, trying to stay calm. She was freaking out, but she knew that if she showed that she was scared, it would only make Christian worse.

"What? Shit. Is Sawyer with you?"

"Yes. He's right here. He's talking with Taylor now."

"Where are you?"

"In my office."

"Were any taken in your office?"

"No...I don't see any."

"Stay there. We're coming. Stay in the office, Ana." Christian sounded panicked.

"Hey...it's okay. Just calm down. We aren't going anywhere. Sawyer is with me. It isn't like anyone is trying to kill me, Christian. Just breathe, baby." Anastasia said, trying to calm him down.

"I'll be right there, Ana. I love you." Christian's voice was noticeably calmer and it made Anastasia calmer.

"I love you, too. Drive carefully."

She hung up the phone and watched Sawyer from her spot beside him. He was on his knees still clicking and typing.

"Sawyer...why don't you take my chair. I'll sit on the other side." Anastasia told him, getting up.

"No, no. Stay right there, Mrs. Grey."

Anastasia shook her head and plopped back down. "You boys are so stubborn!"

She saw him smirk, annoying her more. She scowled at him, but he ignored her and continued to work.

It only took Taylor and Christian ten minutes to get there, which meant that Taylor had sped.

"Most of these are taken in the lobby...only a couple are taken in the hall and in the breakroom." Sawyer told Taylor as he crouched down next to him in front of the computer.

"Let me see." Christian demanded, taking the mouse and scrolling through the pictures. "Olivia..."

"NO!" Anastasia yelled, surprising the others. "She would not do this! Olivia isn't that kind of person."

"Anastasia..." Christian started.

"No, Christian! I know it isn't her! She doesn't even carry anything with her to do that with! She's the only employee I know that _doesn't_ carry any electronics. It has to be someone else."

"We'll interview everyone, sir." Taylor announced.

"Alright. We'll start with Elizabeth...Anastasia, why don't you go-" Christian was cut off.

"Absolutely not! This is my career! MY OFFICE! I am going to stay and sit through the interviews with you." Anastasia challenged, standing up.

Christian looked surprised by her outburst. "Ana...please. You don't need this stress."

"It'll be more stressful not being in here. I am staying. This isn't up for discussion, Mr. Grey." Anastasia set her jaw and scowled at him.

Christian sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Fine."

Anastasia gave him a nod. "Good. Now, I suggest that we go into the conference room since my office is rather small."

Taylor nodded. "That's a good idea, Mrs. Grey."

Sawyer opened the door and allowed Taylor and Anastasia out. Christian stood there with his mouth open for a moment, before he clicked it shut and hurried after them. Sawyer shut the door behind him, trying to conceal the amusement on his face.

XxXxXx

"Olivia...did you take these pictures?" Christian asked, holding out a few printed pictures.

"No, sir. I wouldn't do that to Ana." Olivia said, shaking her head.

"Are you sure? You know that we can trace it directly from your phone if you are lying to us." Christian told her.

Olivia shook her head. "I did not take those pictures!"

"Then tell me why most of them are from the vantage point of where you sit Miss Parker!" Christian yelled, bending over the conference table at her.

Olivia sat back, her eyes full of tears.

"I...I don't know! I didn't! I swear I didn't!"

Christian growled and slammed his fist on the table, making Olivia jump.

"CHRISTIAN! ENOUGH!" Anastasia yelled, jumping up. "Olivia...I am so sorry. Please, take a minute in the women's restroom to get yourself together and then you can go back to work."

"I haven't dismissed her, Anastasia!" Christian barked.

"She is _my_ personal assistant, Christian!" Anastasia barked back.

"She works for _my_ company! She is _my_ employee!" Christian spat.

"OH! Now we're doing this 'my' shit? What happened to 'we' Christian? I am your wife, remember! I believe you said everything is 'ours'!" Anastasia could not believe she just played that card. She didn't believe it...and to be honest she didn't want it, but he was scaring Olivia and she knew that it would be a miracle if Olivia didn't put in her two weeks notice after that.

Christian's eyes widened and he sat back in his chair. His chest was heaving and he looked down at the table. "Fine. Olivia...go. Send Benjamin Baker in."

Anastasia felt her shoulders relax once Olivia was out of the conference room. Taylor and Sawyer sat on either side of them, looking like they wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Christian..."

"Not now."

Benjamin knocked on the door and Christian waved him in.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Have a seat Mr. Baker." Christian told him. Once he was seated, Christian held up the pictures.

"Do these pictures look familiar, Benjamin?"

Benjamin swallowed thickly and rubbed his hands on his trousers. "I...uh...of course not...why would they?"

Christian's eyes narrowed. "Because, Benjamin...they were taken in the same spot where you sit and you look awfully uncomfortable for someone who is innocent." Christian retorted.

"Are you aware, Mr. Baker, that when you signed your new contract with Grey Publishing that you stated that you understood that pictures were not to be taken under any circumstance while in and around Grey Publishing's property?"

"Uh..."

"Mr. Baker. I will be needing your phone." Christian told him.

"My phone?"

"Yes. Your phone."

"You can't do that."

"Yes, I can. Read the contract you agreed to. It states that an employee will give up the right to his or her electronic device if there is probable cause of a breach of contract. Let me have it." Christian answered, holding out his hand.

Benjamin reached into his pocket and handed Christian his iPhone. He chewed his lip nervously while Christian went through it. "Just as I thought. Tons and tons of pictures of my wife...videos...VIDEOS? You taped my wife? Shit. You even taped our interaction this morning..." He handed the phone to Taylor. "Get rid of all of it; make sure he can't access it from any other place and then destroy the phone." It took everything in Christian to keep his cool. His arms and hands were shaking.

"Anastasia...please step outside and make sure that Olivia is alright. I don't want you hearing this." Christian said, pulling out Anastasia's chair and giving her his hand.

Anastasia automatically took it and allowed him to escort her to the door. She saw the pure rage in his eyes and she was not going to fight him on this subject.

She found Olivia crying in the bathroom and hugged her.

"Olivia...I'm sorry. Christian can be such an asshole sometimes. Please don't leave; I love having you as my assistant." Anastasia said, holding the girl to her and rubbing her back.

Olivia sniffled and pulled away. "I swear it wasn't me, Ana."

"I know it wasn't. We found out who it was. I want you to know, I never doubted you for a second. I told Christian from the very beginning that it wasn't you. Christian was just looking for someone to blame. He's sorry. He even sent me in here to make sure you were alright." Anastasia took a Kleenex and wiped Olivia's tears off her cheeks. "I hope you can forgive him and stay."

Olivia let out a watery laugh. "I'm not going anywhere Ana. I love working for you. Mr. Grey is just so...intimidating. He's kind of scary sometimes."

"I'm sorry. I know he can be. He doesn't mean to scare you."

Olivia blew her nose. "Who was it?"

"Benjamin."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. Oh...Ana! I'm so sorry! I mentioned to Ben this morning that you had an OB appointment and that you'd be coming in late! Oh...this is all my fault!"

"No, no. It is not your fault! He was your co-worker and you thought you could trust him. You had no idea what he was doing. This is his fault and his fault only." Anastasia assured her. "Everything will be fine from here on out. Now, splash some water on your face and we'll go back out there together and in one piece." Anastasia said, grinning.

Olivia laughed. "Okay."

Once she had washed her hands and splashed cold water on her face, Olivia and Anastasia left the bathroom together, just in time to see security escorting Benjamin out of the building.

"Oh, wow." Olivia muttered.

"Olivia..." Olivia jumped at Christian's voice.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?" Olivia turned toward him with her chin down.

"I want to apologize for my behavior in the conference room. It was very unprofessional of me and I'm sorry. My wife has nothing, but great things to say about you and I hope that my outburst does not force you to look for employment outside of Grey Publishing." Christian said.

Olivia looked up and smiled at him. "I forgive you, Mr. Grey. I love working for Ana and I plan to stay right where I am."

He gave her a nod. "Glad to hear it."

Anastasia smiled at Christian. She was so proud of him for apologizing himself. After Olivia took her spot behind the desk, Anastasia wrapped her arms around him and leaned up on her toes to kiss his lips. "That was very lovely, Mr. Grey. Thank you."

He grinned at her. "Let's order some lunch really quick so that I can get back to work. I have a lot of paperwork this afternoon."

XxXxXx

Anastasia sat at the breakfast nook later that evening, nibbling on a fruit and cheese tray while she waited for Christian to get home. There was soup warmed on the stove and salads sitting on the counter waiting for them, but she wanted to wait for him before she ate dinner.

She heard the elevator ding and the keys jingle and Christian came walking in with his briefcase. She frowned. Usually that meant he'd be up late going over stuff.

"Hi, baby." Christian greeted, kissing Anastasia. "I've got some things for you to sign...after we eat."

"You do? What?" Anastasia asked, hopping down and grabbing bowls for their soup.

"Just some paperwork to put you on different things now that we're married." Christian answered.

Anastasia's eyebrows furrowed. "Like what? We've already done the bank accounts and the Puget Sound house." She ladled the soup into their bowls and set them on the counter.

"They're for my companies."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Oh, no! I don't want that! They are yours, Christian!"

His eyes narrowed. "You told me today that everything is 'ours' now. I spent all afternoon preparing the paperwork!"

"Christian...I didn't mean it! I just wanted Olivia to be able to go. I knew she wasn't the culprit! I was just angry. I don't want to sign that paperwork. Those are your companies."

Christian slammed down his bowl, making Anastasia wince. "I see...so you want access to the cash without having to worry about any of the liability of having the company!"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Excuse me?! Money? You are honestly going to bring that up, now?! When have I ever cared about your money?! I've only ever wanted to be with you! You are such a jerk!"

Christian snorted. "Those diamonds in your ears and Louboutins on your feet tell a different story."

"How dare you!" Anastasia reached up to take her earrings out. "I have never ONCE asked for any of it. I have never even hinted to you that I wanted it! YOU bought it! WITHOUT EVEN ASKING ME!" She threw her earrings at him and then took her shoes off one by one and threw those at him, too. "You are a complete asshole! I can't believe you really think that I want your money! Why? WHY did you marry me, then if you thought I was some gold digging woman?!"

He continued to give her an icy glare while his chest heaved, but he didn't say a word.

"You know what? Fine. I will show you that I don't need your money!" Anastasia stomped into their bedroom and into their closet. She pulled off her blouse and pencil skirt and grabbed one of the three Eliza J's she had before they got together. Those three dresses, a couple pairs of running shoes, and a couple pair of leggings and sweatshirts were the only things that weren't ruined from Leila and that was only because they were in the dryer.

She slipped on the first dress and let out a frustrated growl when it wouldn't zip up. She hadn't realized just how much weight she had gained since being with Christian. She looked at the tag and saw that it was a size 0.

"Holy shit." She had forgotten just how small she got after taking the Editor position and forgetting to eat. She was to the point now where she almost needed a size 4.

She threw the dress on the ground and checked the other two and saw they were all too small. She grabbed her leggings and a sweatshirt and put them on, along with her Nike's. She grabbed one of her old Nine West handbags and took it into the kitchen, where her Fossil was and poured the contents into her Nine West.

"What are you doing?!" Christian asked.

"Showing you that I don't need your money...or want it." Anastasia pulled out her wallet and pulled out two credit cards and four debit cards, all connected to his accounts and set them out on the counter. She left the credit card and the debit card she had before they got married in her purse and grabbed her keys.

"And you think that the Audi doesn't count?" He commented.

She regarded him for a minute and then set down her keys. "You're right." She started towards the foyer.

"Where are you going?!" Christian sounded half-panicked.

"I am showing you that I can live on my own. I am going to stay somewhere tonight and then find my own apartment and pay for everything myself." Anastasia said, calmly.

"So you don't want me anymore?"

"I didn't say that. I am merely showing you that I don't need or want your money."

"You can't leave. You have no car!"

"Oh, I believe I can. It's called feet, Christian! You see...if I stay here, you're just going to say that I'm only with you to enjoy the luxury penthouse and to take advantage of the staff."

"Fine...if you're leaving then you better take off that one-hundred thousand dollar ring set that I bought!" Christian spat.

Anastasia turned. "What? These are my wedding rings!" She was shocked.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and clenched his jaw.

"Fine." Anastasia felt her chest started to compress, but she tried to ignore it. She slipped her rings off and placed them on the foyer table, clenching her jaw, trying to keep her tears from falling.

"You're going out dressed like that?" Christian commented as she hit the button to the elevator.

Her jaw started to tremble and she turned to him. "Yes. I am. It's the only thing of mine that fits right now." She told him, wiping at her tears and turning back toward the elevator.

Christian's shoulders slumped and his face fell. "Oh, Ana...I'm sorry! Please don't leave!" He rushed towards her and pulled her to him. She sobbed into his chest while he rubbed her back. "I am so sorry, Ana. Please forgive me. I was just so angry that I spent all that time getting the paperwork together. I'm so sorry." He kept kissing the top of her head.

"I swear I don't want your money Christian." Anastasia said, between sobs.

"Sshh...I know...I know you don't. I was angry and said things I shouldn't."

Anastasia sobbed into his chest for a couple minutes before calming down.

"I'm sorry I said that today...when Olivia was in there. If I wouldn't have used that low blow, none of this would have happened." She pulled away from his chest and looked up at him. He wiped at her face, drying it the best he could.

"Do you forgive me?" Christian asked.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes. I promise I'll be more careful about buying my own things. Do you forgive me?" She asked, guilt-ridden over the money situation.

He gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about it, Ana. And there's nothing to forgive, baby."

Her breathing still had some hiccups in it and she took a deep breath to try and stop them. "Can I have my wedding ring back?"

He nodded. "Of course."

She smiled up at him and turned to grab her wedding band.

"Aren't you forgetting one?" He asked.

She shook her head. "You keep it. I didn't realize how much money it was. Right now, I feel too guilty keeping it."

Christian groaned. "Oh, Ana...please don't. It's yours. I bought it for you." He picked up the engagement ring and grabbed her hand, sliding it on her finger.

"I feel really guilty, Christian. I don't deserve this." Anastasia frowned, staring at it.

He leaned down and kissed her. "You're just really emotional right now...and it's all my fault. Why don't we put this on the shelf to pick up at a later time? Just like Dr. Flynn taught us. Just visualize putting it away. Let's go have dinner and try to relax. It's been a very long, emotional day."

She nodded and sniffled. "Fine."

They sat at the breakfast bar, eating their dinner in silence. Christian placed a hand on her knee and squeezed it.

"Thank you for not leaving." Christian said, between bites.

"It's on the shelf, remember Mr. Grey." Anastasia mentioned.

He nodded. "Right. Sorry. I love you, Anastasia."

She sighed. "I love you, too, Christian."


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N: I am absolutely floored by everyone's response to my previous Author's Note. I never expected any response to my note. I want you all to know how much I appreciate it.**

 **I can't remember the last time I was as angry as I was yesterday morning. I had just gotten home from pulling a midnight at the hospital and I read all these guest reviews not only putting my writing down, but who I was as a person just because of the last chapter. It pissed me off more than it probably should. I knew some website wasn't worth getting me so upset, so I was more than ready to delete my stories and my account and leave it all behind. All of your kind words and a good, long sleep brought me out of my hissy fit and I decided to post the next chapter.**

 **So again, thank you for being so kind during my miniature breakdown. Now, I am off to work again, this time working mornings. I'm sure today will be much better than yesterday.**

Once they were finished with their dinner, Anastasia hopped down to rinse her dishes. Her stomach had gone sour the longer she sat and thought about the fight. She hoped that she wouldn't be up all night in the bathroom.

"Anastasia…" Christian's hand went to her shoulder and she shrugged it off.

"Don't. I don't want you to touch me right now." Anastasia told him, stepping away from him and heading towards the bedroom.

"What? Ana! Please…"

Anastasia stopped and turned toward her husband. "Please what? Please forgive you over another uncalled for outburst and pretend like everything is picture perfect when it's not? I'm not willing to play perfect family, Christian. My parents played that for far too long and were miserable. I just want to go to bed." Anastasia turned back towards the door of the bedroom.

"I'll come with you! I'll explain!"

"No, Christian. I can't even look at you right now. Go sleep in the sub room tonight." Anastasia told him, shutting the bedroom door and locking it.

"Please, Ana! Please let me explain! I can't sleep without you. I want to hold you." He begged through the door.

"I don't want you to touch me right now, Christian. I just want to be alone."

The door handle started to rattle. "I won't be able to sleep!"

"Then maybe you can catch up on all the work you pushed aside to deal with all that paperwork you said you did today." Anastasia spat, angry and tired.

"I have a key to this room, you know!"

"And if you use it, I will pack up and I will go stay with my parents in Portland. I am going to bed now, Christian. Your unborn child and I need our sleep!" Anastasia stomped over to the bed and pulled down the sheets. Once she slipped her shoes off, she climbed in bed, leggings and all. She just wanted to sleep and ignore her upset tummy and her painful chest.

"I love you, Ana." She heard him say through the door, but she turned her back towards the door and closed her eyes.

XxXxXx

Anastasia appeared from the bedroom the next morning dressed and ready to leave for work. She headed into the kitchen to ask Gail to pack her a muffin and she found Christian, Taylor, and Sawyer standing in the kitchen, too.

Her eyes met Christian's for a second and she saw that he had dark circles under his eyes. Her stomach twisted, but she turned to Gail and tried to ignore it. She loved Christian more than anything and hated that he was going through any sort of pain, but she was still upset with him.

"Gail, may I have a muffin? I'm going to eat it at work. Sawyer…I'm ready to leave if you are." Anastasia announced.

Sawyer's eyes darted over to Christian, but his eyes were set on his plate while he pushed around his omelet.

"Yes, Mrs. Grey."

XxXxXx

Anastasia sat at her desk, picking at her muffin, but she was too queasy to eat. She forced herself to drink her ice water to stay hydrated, but it even seemed to upset her stomach.

"Mrs. Grey…are you feeling okay?" Sawyer asked her when he came back from making his nine o'clock rounds and saw she hadn't eaten anything.

"Just morning sickness, Sawyer. It'll pass." She hoped.

She saw him turn toward the door and pull out his cell phone before the door closed and she groaned. She knew he was texting Mr. Grey.

Not two minutes later, a ping sounded and she saw it was a conference call from Christian. She hit the deny button. She didn't want to deal with him.

She heard her cell phone start to ring and she automatically silenced it. She tried to concentrate on the work she had that morning, but Olivia buzzed in.

"Yes, Olivia?" Anastasia asked, holding the button.

"Mr. Grey is on the line."

Anastasia's teeth grinded. She knew she wasn't going to make Olivia deal with it, so she gave in.

"Send him through."

Her phone rang. "Anastasia Grey."

"Ana! Sawyer said you weren't feeling well." Christian mentioned.

"I'm pregnant, Christian."

"I know…I just hate that you have to be so sick. Have you been keeping hydrated?"

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "You didn't seem to care how your pregnant wife felt last night."

Christian sighed. "Ana…we need to talk about this. I want to explain."

"I've got work to do, Christian. I'm not ready to listen."

"I miss you, Ana." Christian's words were pained.

She felt her stomach twist. She reminded herself to stay strong. "I need to go. I've got a meeting to prepare for." She placed the phone back on the base before he could keep her any longer.

XxXxXx

Anastasia holed herself up in the gamesroom that evening, using the desk to continue her work. She felt like she hadn't been keeping up on work since she had gotten married and decided to use their silence to her advantage.

There was a knock on the door and she turned in the office chair to look. She saw that it was Christian and she wasn't at all surprised.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…Gail said dinner's ready…are you going to have it in here…or…"

Anastasia shook her head. "This chair is killing my back. I'll come eat in the kitchen." She stood up and stretched, hearing her back crack as she did so.

She saw a small smile form on Christian's face. She forced herself not to return it, even though she wanted to. She wanted to go up to her husband and kiss those lips, but she knew she would never get anywhere with him if she did that.

They ate dinner in silence and she allowed him to take her plate from her and give her a kiss on the cheek before she retired to the bedroom for the night. This time she didn't lock it, but left it shut. She took a warm bath and read for a couple hours before falling asleep. She wished they had a television in the bedroom. All the reading was making her eyes exhausted.

XxXxXx

The next day went about the same as the day before, but as Anastasia sat on the bed lotioning her legs after her bath, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in, Christian. It's unlocked."

He stuck his head in and gave her a small smile before entering the rest of the way. He sat on the bed next to her and watched as she lotioned her right calf.

"What is it, Christian?"

"I spoke with Flynn earlier…and he suggested that I try to talk to you again and be completely honest with what happened." Christian mentioned, reaching out and rubbing in a small spot of lotion she missed on the side of her leg.

She placed the lotion bottle on the beside table and turned toward him, crossing her legs. "Okay, then go ahead. I'm listening."

"First, I want you to know that I am ashamed of my actions…or my words and of the thoughts that went through my head." Christian mentioned, keeping his eyes downcast.

"Alright, continue."

He gave a nod and took a deep breath. "When you said that it was our company…well…it really bothered me. Grey Enterprise is my baby…I built it from the ground up and worked my ass off to make it what it is…I love sharing my life and my money and my toys with you…but I never thought you'd want to actively take half of Grey House. It made me angry that you wanted it. I felt like I was openly giving you half of everything else and you still wanted more. After those thoughts, I was then angry with myself for feeling that way about you. I didn't understand why I was being so selfish about keeping it to myself...I continued to feel conflicted about it. I didn't like that you wanted it and I didn't like that I was feeling that way…does that make sense? I was so confused and angry…so I just said fuck it and spent the afternoon with my lawyer to draw up the papers."

"Christian…"

"Please let me finish."

Anastasia nodded.

"So, then I came home and tried to be in a good mood, but I was seething. I was angry at the whole situation. When you said you no longer wanted it, I just snapped. I knew the money thing bothers you most, so I used it against you. I am a terrible husband. I _wanted_ to make you as angry as I was. I promise you, that I do not feel that way about you. I don't feel like you're after me for my money. I just wanted to make you angry. I mentioned the car when I realized you were leaving with the hope that it would keep you from leaving. When it didn't, I thought you were leaving me for good…that you no longer needed me or wanted me…so I brought up the rings to cut you to the chase. I wanted to put up a front showing that if you can quit so easily, then I could too. But I couldn't. I need you. I couldn't let you leave. You are my whole life, Ana. Without you, it isn't worth living. I know what I did was wrong…everything I said…I would do anything to take it back, but I can't. I know I'm a monster…I don't deserve you, Ana. I don't know where to go from here. I can't tell you that it's okay if you leave, because it would be the end for me. I can say I understand if you do, because I don't deserve you. I know it's wrong, but I don't want you to go…I don't know. Maybe, it's best if the baby is raised without me." Christian was in tears.

"Christian...can I talk now?"

Christian sniffled and nodded. Anastasia reached up to wipe a tear off of his cheek and he closed his eyes and nuzzled against her hand.

"I understand that GEH is your pride and joy. I want you to know that I would never expect to be put as co-owner of it. Everyone is allowed to have something in their life that they don't share. Like you said, you share everything else with me. I didn't mean what I said on Monday. I was looking for a way to get Olivia out. I am sorry for that. However, you should have come to me and spoken to me about how you were feeling. We need to learn to communicate better. I know you've been holed up in this ivory tower by yourself and never really had to deal with your feelings in a healthy manner. I am not going to leave you. I wouldn't still be here if I was. I think with continued help from Flynn, that we can grow to be better together.

"You wanting me to be as angry as you were is just emotional immaturity. It's something that teenagers do. I don't think you are a bad husband. You are certainly no monster. You are the most giving man I have ever met. I never want to hear you say that the baby would be better off without you, again. You are full of love and I know you'll give the baby all the love and attention he or she could ever want or need.

"I appreciate you being so honest with how you feel. It's a relief to know that you honestly don't think I'm a gold digger and I hope you feel relieved knowing I don't have any intention of being a partner of GEH." Anastasia reached out and squeezed his hand.

"I love you, Anastasia." Christian gave her a small smile.

She nodded. "I love you, too, but I think we should still take this a step at a time. I'm not ready to jump back in, acting like everything is fine."

Christian frowned. "I see."

She stood and he followed suit. "Can I tuck you in before I leave?"

She eyed him for a moment and then nodded. "Sure."

He pulled down the duvet and held it up so that she could climb in. Once she was settled, he covered her and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight, baby."

Anastasia gave him a small smile. "Night. I'll see you at breakfast, Mr. Grey."

A smile formed on Christian's face. "That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Grey."

XxXxXx

The next day they spent breakfast together before going off to work. Christian gave her space while she was at work, even though she suspected that he and Sawyer kept in communication all day. Secretly, she loved that Christian was constantly worried about her well-being, but she'd never admit that to him.

They ate dinner together and he drew her a bath. Once she was finished, she allowed him to dress her and rub her stomach before he put her to bed.

XxXxXx

They sat at the breakfast bar together, eating their waffles and fruit before work.

"Christian…I was thinking…tomorrow is my birthday…and I was wondering if it'd be possible to go visit my parents for the weekend..." When she saw Christian's face drop, she added, "Together, I mean."

His face lit up. "That's a great idea, Ana."

She smiled at him. "I just thought we should tell them face to face." She said, placing her hand on her stomach.

He grinned and reached out to rub her stomach. "Yes, I agree. I'll take care of everything this morning and we'll leave early this evening. Sawyer can bring you to Grey House and we'll take Charlie Tango."

Anastasia raised her shoulders in excitement and hopped down. "I'm so excited. I'll go pack!" She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Thank you, Christian."

"That kiss was thanks enough, Mrs. Grey." He answered, his eyes lighter than they'd been all week.

She gave him a shy smile before hurrying off to the bedroom to pack.


	39. Chapter 38

**A/N: I know it has been awhile since I've updated, so I decided to post an extra long chapter this time. This chapter will start on Friday night and go through Saturday afternoon. The next chapter will have Anastasia's birthday dinner and Sunday before they leave to go back home.**

 **I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Sanjana who is my right-hand woman with this fan fic. I would be lost without her.**

 **Pinterest: NineN3Quarters**

Christian and Anastasia headed up the driveway of her parents, leaving Sawyer and Taylor in the rented SUV. Christian gave them the okay to check into their hotel and relax for the evening.

Christian escorted her up the driveway by the small of her back, their suitcase in his other hand. Anastasia was gripping her pillows in both arms. She stopped halfway up the driveway when she noticed that her father's car was parked in the street and not in the driveway.

"What's wrong, Ana?"

"It's odd…my father's car isn't in the driveway…" She mentioned, continuing towards the door.

"Maybe your mother parks there now?" Christian offered, shrugging.

The door opened as soon as they hit the steps of the two-story home.

"Annie! I'm so happy to see you!" Ray cooed, pulling Anastasia in for a hug, pillows and all.

"Hi, Daddy." She retorted, laughing. "Good to see you, too."

Ray let her in and shook Christian's hand. "Nice to see you, Christian. So happy you decided to stay with us!"

Christian grinned at his father-in-law. "Thank you for letting us stay on such short notice."

Ray nodded. "Of course! Come in and set your bag down. You can put it in the room later." Ray shut the door behind him once Christian made his way through.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Ray asked.

"I'll have a water, but I'll get it, Dad." Anastasia answered, starting towards the kitchen. "Christian?"

"Beer is fine, baby." Christian answered, taking a seat on the couch.

She made her way into the kitchen and saw that there was a hole in the wall. She felt tears starting to fill her eyes. Why hadn't her father told her that the house needed work? She grabbed her water and two beers for them and headed back into the living room.

"Dad? Is everything okay?" She asked as she handed him a beer.

"Of course…what do you mean?" Ray asked, confused.

Anastasia sat on the couch, slipping out of her heels and pulling her legs underneath her. "Why is there a big hole in the wall of the kitchen?"

"Oh, that! There was a short in the wiring and I had to rewire the kitchen. Turns out I'll have to rewire the whole house. The wiring is ancient."

Anastasia frowned. "Daddy…are you and Mom doing alright…financially?"

Ray laughed. "Yes, babygirl. We're doing fine. One day, I just woke up and magically had a half a million dollars in my account."

Anastasia gasped and looked at Christian, who winked at her. She swallowed back tears and reached over to squeeze his bicep.

"Thank you, Christian. You don't know how much you've helped. Carla and I were barely getting by before she found her teller job. I started to look for a second job." Ray mentioned, holding his beer up towards Christian.

"No need to thank me, Ray. You're family. You've worked your ass off for Ana and Carla and I don't want to hear that you're taking on another job. It's time you're cared for and you need to enjoy your time off." Christian answered. Anastasia sat there trying to hold back tears. She couldn't wait to get her hands on him later. A few escaped, and she wiped them away quickly.

Ray shook his head dismissively. "I love my girls. I don't mind it. Carla has been a great help since she got her job…I hate that she has to work…but I think it's good for her."

Anastasia nodded. "I agree. How is Mom liking her job? Will she be home soon?"

"She likes it well enough. The pay isn't great…but when you don't work your whole life, you can't expect much. She'll be home a little after six."

Anastasia looked at the clock. 5:48 pm. "Good. Christian and I sort of have an announcement and I wanted to tell you first."

Ray crinkled his forehead. "Why, Annie? What is it?"

Anastasia wrung her hands. "I was hoping to have you on my side before I tell Mom…"

"Oookkkkaaayyyy…so what is it?" Ray swallowed thickly.

"Daddy…I…oh, gosh. Um…well, you see…"

"You're pregnant…" Ray said, relieving Anastasia from her misery.

She nodded and looked down at her hands. When her father didn't say anything, she chanced a look up at him. He was bent over with his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He sniffled and a tear dropped from his face to his jeans.

"So the tabloids are true?" Ray asked, his voice scratchy.

"Yes." Anastasia whispered, trying her best not to panic.

"You're so young, Annie." Ray said quietly, refusing to lift his head.

"It wasn't planned. My birth control failed." Anastasia looked back down at her hands as she continued to wring them. Christian placed a hand on the base of her neck, squeezing it reassuringly.

"How far along?"

"About 8 weeks. We got pregnant on our honeymoon." Anastasia's chin trembled. She suddenly wished they would have waited for her mother. She wasn't sure she could do this again.

"Wow, Annie…I don't know what to say…I just…wow." Ray shook his head in his hands.

Anastasia choked back a sob. "You don't have to say anything. I know I'm a disappointment. I had all of this potential…I worked my butt off working full time while in school and now look at me. No wonder you're ashamed." Anastasia shook her head and concentrated on her fingers.

"Ana!" Christian shouted, angry.

Ray lifted his head and looked at her. "That's what you think? You think I'm ashamed of you? Annie…you could never be a disappointment to me. I just know how hard it's going to be for you. You can have a career and a child…it'll be difficult…but possible. Come here."

Anastasia sniffled and rose from the couch, moving towards her father in his recliner and sat in his lap.

"Look at me." Her blue eyes rose to meet his brown ones. "Don't ever feel ashamed of this. You can do this, Annie. It's not something I'd want for you so early…but thinking back on how empty my life would have been if your mother hadn't had you so young…it makes me realize how much of a blessing this child is going to be. All I ask is that you stick to your career dreams. Don't give up because it's easy to."

She gave him a small smile and nodded, wiping a tear off her face.

Ray kissed her temple and sighed. "I'm going to be a grandfather…shit. Guess it's time to buy a cane and start waving it around at the pesky kids who wander into my yard."

Anastasia giggled.

"Oh shit…you're going to be a mom…my little Annie…a mom." Ray's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"That's usually how it works, Dad." Anastasia teased.

He looked down at her stomach. "May I?"

She laughed. "Of course…but there's really not much to feel."

He placed his hand on her stomach and sighed. "You kids should really start taking pictures of Annie's stomach. I've seen where people take pictures every so often and then make a small video of how it grows."

Christian smiled. "That's a great idea. We'll take one before bed, Ana."

The door opened and Carla came in, smiling. Her smile dropped when she saw that Anastasia and Ray both had red-rimmed eyes. She placed her purse and keys down on the side table and Anastasia stood up quickly to greet her.

"Hi, Mom." She hugged her mother tight.

"Ana…what's wrong?"

"Carla…" Ray said, standing up. "The kids have some exciting news…" he stated, trying to be supportive.

Christian stood behind Anastasia with his hands on her shoulders.

Carla's eyebrows furrowed. "Okay. Well, what is it?"

"I…we're…" Anastasia sighed. Why was it so hard to tell her parents? She was a married woman for Christ's sake! She lifted her chin up to look up at Christian, hoping he'd say it. He gave her a small nod.

"We're going to have a baby." Christian answered for her.

Carla stood there, her mouth open, blinking rapidly. "You mean you're wanting to start trying, right? If so…I think you should wait-"

"No, Mom." Anastasia interrupted, shaking her head.

Carla exhaled heavily. "No?" She asked, hoping it wasn't true.

"No." Anastasia answered.

Carla winced. "And you're sure?"

Anastasia nodded. "We brought pictures of the-"

"No. Fuck…no, Ana! What…what the fuck were you thinking? Have you learned _nothing_ from me? Did he force you to do this?" Carla asked, pointing to Christian.

Christian scowled at Carla and opened his mouth to speak, but Anastasia beat him to it.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare blame this on Christian! He didn't push me into anything! He-"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Anastasia? I have never been so disappointed in all my life-"

"Carla!"

"I never thought that you'd be so… _stupid!_ Do you not remember everything we went through? I asked you when you got engaged and _you lied to me?_ "

"Carla, that's enough!" Ray barked, grabbing the top of her arms from behind.

Anastasia was panting, her anxiety rising with every word that came out of Carla's mouth. Christian wrapped his arms around her and held her back against him. She shook her head quickly at her mother.

"I don't appreciate-" Christian started, but Anastasia cut him off.

"I…I didn't lie! We weren't! Not until after-"

"Annie…" Ray says, taking a hand off of Carla's arm and putting it up. "Why don't we all take a few minutes to calm down?" He could see Anastasia's panic, so he guided Carla toward the stairs, letting her go up alone.

Anastasia let out a sob and Christian turned her to him and held her against his chest, kissing her hair. "Shh...it's okay...it's alright."

She shook her head and pulled away from him. "No, it isn't okay! My own mother is against me! I want to go. Right now. We'll stay at the hotel."

Christian nodded, but Ray intercepted.

"Please, Annie. Stay here. She just needs some time. I want to spend the weekend with you. It's nice to have you on your birthday. We'll make the best of it, I promise. If anyone is going to stay somewhere else, it'll be her." Ray mentioned, winking.

Anastasia laughed and nodded. "Alright, I'm sorry. Yes, let's stay here."

"Now...while she cools off, I think we should order your favorite for dinner." Ray mentioned, opening the drawer to the coffee table and pulling out a menu. Anastasia had a feeling that he and her mother ordered take-out and delivery a lot since she no longer lived there and her mother had a job.

"No, Dad...I'll cook. You probably need a good home-cooked meal right now."

Ray looked up at her. "If you think I'm going to make you cook on your birthday weekend, you are sadly mistaken. Besides...we don't have much in the fridge." He waved a paper menu in front of her. "It's your favorite..."

Anastasia licked her lips and scowled at him. "Give it to me!" She demanded, grabbing it out of his hand.

Ray laughed. "I knew you couldn't deny 'Hing Wah'."

Christian shook his head, amused at Anastasia. She narrowed her eyes at him and plopped down on the couch.

"What?"

Christian put his hands up in surrender. "Nothing...not a thing!"

"Good. Now sit down and figure out what you want. I'm hungry, emotional, and pregnant. I'm ready to eat my feelings!" Anastasia demanded.

Christian saluted her and sat. "Yes, ma'am!" He took the menu from her and began to look over it. "What are you getting?"

"Hot braised chicken with vegetables and steamed rice...oh and crab Rangoon of course. _Extra_ fortune cookies. They already know our order. An old Asian couple owns it and have become friends with Dad." Anastasia explained, grinning.

"I'll have the pepper steak with boiled pot-stickers and vegetable rice." Christian mentioned, handing the menu back to Anastasia.

Ray nodded and stepped away to call for delivery.

"That's it? Nothing greasy and yummy with a lot of yummy sauce?" Anastasia asked, annoyed.

Christian laughed and shook his head. "It's bad for you."

"But it's so good!"

Ray came back in and settled into his chair. "They said they'd be here shortly. So, Christian...did that asshole find the money for bail? We haven't spoken about it in quite some time."

Christian shook his head. "No one will co-sign for the fucker's bond. Thank fuck."

Anastasia's forehead wrinkled. "Wait...what? You two have been speaking back and forth about this? Christian...how do you know this?"

Christian gave her a small smile. "Baby, I know everything when it comes to your safety. I've had guys tracking those fuckers since they've been in jail."

"How come you've never told me?" Anastasia asked, a little annoyed.

"I figured you knew I wouldn't just let it go. If one of them would have gotten out on bail, I would have told you." Christian explained, reaching over and wrapping a piece of her hair around his finger.

"So...they're both still in custody? Just for my incident?"

"Well, I told you that Sean had other issues with other women and that's how I got him kicked out of medical school...well, I gave the list of women who came forward to the police and he's on no bond since there are multiple cases of date-rape and domestic abuse against him...a frat boy who can't control himself or his liquor. For Jansen...once he recuperated enough, he was sent to jail and since he has absolutely no money and no job...well...he called a bondsman and they told him he needed a co-signer and Sean was the only one willing to do so. Of course they said no. So, he's stuck until the trial. He tried to sue me for breaking his face...but once I lawyered up and made a hefty donation to the courthouse, the charges were dropped. I didn't want him to use the money to get out."

Anastasia sat there with her mouth wide open. How could she not know all of this was going on?

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"We were on our honeymoon and I wanted you to be happy and worry-free. I wasn't involved very much with the lawsuit. I just told my lawyer to deal with it and offer a donation to make it go away."

"Wait...you said trial...I have to go to court?" Anastasia was suddenly extremely nervous.

Christian sighed. "Yes, but I promise you that everything will be okay. These things take time and they will give us plenty of notice before you have to go in."

Anastasia worried her bottom lip and nodded. "Okay. I don't know why I thought it'd just go away."

"Just relax, Annie. Don't worry about it. Enjoy your birthday weekend. What would you like to do?"

Anastasia thought about it for a minute. "I think I'd like to go shopping...just for a little bit tomorrow. I'd like some new jeans. Mine are really tight now that I have Gail feeding me all the time. I'm getting fat." Anastasia laughed. "I really need to start working out."

Christian snorted. "You will do no such thing, carrying my baby! You are not getting fat. You're beautiful."

She rolled her eyes. "I appreciate that, Christian...but there are workouts that pregnant women can do. Even yoga will help. I'd like to start pregnant yoga. There's a class at the yoga studio on Monday nights. It'll help with breathing...my anxiety...it may even help my body get ready for all the changes that are going to be happening soon."

He regarded her for a moment with his index finger on his lips. "I'll agree to yoga."

She smiled. That was easier than she thought it'd be. She wanted to do some cardio, as well...but she knew that this was not the time or place to fight with him. She'd save that for another time.

Ray answered the door when the Chinese food came and, after he ran Carla's food up to her, they sat in the living room, watching a ball game that was on while they ate.

Once Anastasia emptied the contents of her foil container and sat back, Christian looked over at her and shook his own box.

"I have some steak left...want a bite?" Christian grinned, too-sweetly, at Anastasia and held it out.

She reached over to take a sliver of beef and he pulled it closer to him. Her eyelids lowered and she scowled at him, but slid over more to take it. He pulled it closer to his other side and opened his free arm, willing her to sit against him. She sighed and slid the rest of the way and leaned against him, pulling her feet up under her. He held her close and kissed her hair, holding his to-go box between them. She took a sliver of steak and popped into her mouth.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Mr. Grey...bribing me with food..." Anastasia mentioned, taking another piece of meat.

Christian chuckled into her hair. "I know, you know. I don't care. It worked."

She turned her head and smiled up at him, giving him a chaste kiss on his lips. "I don't want to eat all your food, baby. It's my fault for not getting the full portion of my own."

Christian shook his head. "I'm full. Eat up, baby. You're eating for two now."

Anastasia snorted. "I'm also throwing up for two. I was sick all morning."

Christian frowned. "I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault, silly." Anastasia said, eyeing the box for the next best piece.

"It kind of is. It's my baby."

She rolled her eyes. "Only half of it...and I am sure that the half that likes food is yours."

He laughed. "Yes...that's probably true."

Ray snorted and they both looked over at him. "You two." He murmured, shaking his head.

XxXxXx

Anastasia changed for bed while Christian looked around her old room.

"I've never been in a girl's room before." Christian mentioned.

She laughed. "You share a room with a girl, silly."

A grin appeared on his face. "You know what I mean. I take it you aren't going to say you've never had a boy up here?"

Anastasia sighed. "You know Jose and I were best friends growing up. He and Ethan were in here quite a bit."

Christian frowned as he continued to look over her corkboard.

"I've never had a boy up here I've been attracted to...how about that?"

He shrugged. "Eh...it'll do."

She threw her panties at him and laughed. "You are terrible."

He caught her panties and wiggled his eyebrows. "I don't mind you throwing these at me..."

"I need those back. I just threw whatever was in my hand." Anastasia reached out for them.

"Nope. Mine now." Christian shoved them in his back pocket.

"Hey!"

"And, by the way, I don't like this new...throwing things bit. Pregnancy is making you violent."

"I'll show you violent if you don't give those back to me!" She tried grabbing for them, but he grabbed both of her hands and pinned them behind her back, pulling her flush against him.

Anastasia exhaled sharply and Christian's eyes darkened.

"Oh my..."

He used his left hand to hold both of her hands in place while his right cupped the side of her face and he leaned down to kiss her.

"Think you can be quiet enough?" He whispered against her jaw as his lips trailed down to her neck.

She nodded. "Yes."

Christian smirked against her neck. "Thank fuck."

He grabbed her and threw her on the full size bed, jumping on top of her. She giggled and he covered her mouth with his right hand.

"Sshhhh..." He whispered, putting a finger to his own lips.

When she nodded, he released her mouth. "I've missed you."

She smiled. "I've missed you, too. I know I went a little overboard on the whole silent treatment thing."

He shook his head. "Let's not talk about it, now. We're moving on."

She gave him a small nod. "Thank you for taking care of my parents...Ray especially. It deserves a Christian exclusive." She whispered, sliding her hands down the front of his button-down, before sliding them back up to unbutton it.

He groaned. "I'll definitely take a rain check. Right now, I want between your legs, not your mouth."

She pulled his button-down off his shoulders and he helped take it off.

"We better get these trousers unzipped then..." Anastasia mentioned, reaching down to work on his belt. He sat up on his knees and made fast work of his trousers, kicking them and his boxer-briefs off simultaneously.

She shimmied underneath him and pulled her chemise up to her hips, giving him easy access. She had on no panties; they were still in the back of his trouser pocket.

Christian lined himself up with her opening before laying back down on top of her. He grabbed her leg and wrapped it around his waist, before pressing himself into her.

He groaned and she gasped, her chin lifting as her head fell back.

"I love you, Ana."

She grinned and lowered her chin to look at him with hooded eyes. "Mmm, me too. So much."

XxXxXx

Anastasia was awoken by Christian's lips making their way down her neck and his hand making it's way down her stomach to her core.

She moaned, refusing to open her eyes.

"Shh...remember, quiet baby."

She realized where she was and nodded. "Keep going." She whispered, her voice a little hoarse from sleep.

"My pleasure." Christian whispered against her ear, before taking her earlobe into his mouth.

She smiled and sighed. "Mine too."

He chuckled quietly and kissed her temple while his hands continued their slow work between her legs. "Happy birthday, Ana. I wanted you to wake up in pleasure."

She turned her head and nuzzled her nose against his. "Mmm, you've succeeded...faster, Christian."

His fingers started to work faster and she bit her lip to keep from moaning.

"Open your eyes, baby. I want to see you come."

Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked a few times, the sunlight from the window making her eyes sting. When her eyes adjusted, she took in her husband's beautiful gray eyes. There were so many different shades of gray swirling around together and she could see small flecks of blue shining through in the early morning light. Her eyes traveled down to his sexy morning stubble that peppered his cheeks and chin and stretched towards his adam's apple. His stubble was just a shade lighter than his hair and the copper tone against his dark gray eyes made them look fucking incredible. She watched as he swallowed and his adam's apple bobbed. She leaned up and kissed it, the stubble scratching against her lips in a most delicious way. A small hum came from him and she smiled up at him as she settled back against the pillows. She tried hard to keep her eyes open and her mouth closed while he slipped two fingers into her and used his thumb to rub her clit. She forced herself to concentrate on him and her eyes wandered up to his dark copper locks. He had bed-head and, hell, even that made him look completely fuckable...as if he didn't look that way already. Her husband was sex on legs and just looking at him made her come that much faster.

She bit down on her lip and whimpered, clinging to the sheets underneath her as her orgasm washed through her body. She forced herself to keep eye contact with Christian and he smiled softly down at her, nuzzling his nose against hers.

"You are so beautiful, Ana. I love that only I get to see you this way." Christian kissed her softly and removed his hand once she relaxed.

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "Happy birthday to me."

He chuckled against her temple. "Yes, baby. Happy birthday. Now get up so we can start the day."

Her eyes flew open and she pretended to be put off. "Well that didn't last long!"

Christian sat up on his knees and grabbed her arms, forcing her to sit up. "Yea...yea...now get up and get in that tiny ass thing you call a shower and get ready!"

"Alright, alright!" Anastasia threw the covers off of her and got up. "And don't make fun of my little shower! You're only mad cause it's not big enough for two!"

When she turned her back to him to make her way to her small en suite bathroom that Ray hand-built for her, Christian smacked her butt quickly, making her squeak and grab her behind.

"Don't think that just because it's your birthday you can get sassy, now." Christian warned.

She turned toward him and stuck her tongue out at him before shutting the bathroom door quickly and locking it behind her. She could hear him laughing on the other side of the door and shook her head, grinning. She missed this part of their relationship. She missed playful Christian.

XxXxXx

"I'm making breakfast." Carla mentioned, standing in front of the stove. "Happy birthday, Ana."

"Er...thanks." Anastasia answered, confused. Her mother was obviously going to avoid the whole baby situation. As much as it annoyed her, she decided to let it go for now and enjoy her birthday.

"Why don't you take your coffee and sit on the screened-in porch? It isn't too chilly today..." Carla mentioned.

Anastasia lit up. She loved having breakfast on the screened-in porch. She grabbed her cup and started to make it, getting a look of disproval from Christian.

"Don't you say anything. I'm allowed one cup a day!"

He shrugged and made his own before following her out the side door to the porch. There was a small couch and coffee table to one side and a table with chairs on the other. Anastasia opted for the small couch for the moment and took a seat, curling her legs under her. Christian sat next to her and they looked out onto the street.

"This was my favorite place growing up. I would read out here for hours. While I was being homeschooled, I'd get up before dawn and make myself some tea and come sit and watch the sunrise and then read for hours before Mom woke up enough to do my schooling. Dad would look all over the house for me, only to find that I'd fallen asleep out here, reading." Anastasia grinned at the memory.

Christian's grin mirrored hers. "Would you like one at the house?"

Anastasia nodded. "That would be lovely. I'd love to spend some time out there with baby Grey. It's a safe way to let him or her get some fresh air without bugs or critters getting too close. I'd love to watch the sunrise over the water with our coffee."

"Me too. We'll make sure to add one to the back."

"My mother...isn't it a little weird that she's acting like this today?" Anastasia asked, not able to shake it.

Christian took the coffee cup from his lips and swallowed. "She probably doesn't want to ruin your birthday."

"But it's annoying. She can't just pretend that none of that happened last night...that our baby doesn't...exist." Anastasia shook her head.

Christian reached out and let his arm rest against the back of the couch, his fingers playing with her hair. "Do you really want to get into it this morning?"

She sighed. "No..."

"Listen, baby...I don't like the way she acted or what she said last night either...but I don't want it to ruin our day either. We'll talk it out with her before we leave." Christian said, twisting her hair.

"I don't want to walk on eggshells all weekend about it."

He shrugged. "Then don't. If we want to talk about the baby, we will. She can either deal with it or leave the area."

Anastasia nodded. "Alright. I guess your right. We'll wait." She leaned toward him and tucked her arms between the two of them. "It's a little chilly this morning."

He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her back up and down, trying to create some friction to warm her up. "Want to go back inside?"

"No, I'd rather cuddle."

He chuckled and leaned forward to set his cup down before turning toward her a bit and using both arms to hold her.

"Mmhmm...much better than being inside. I love how warm you always are, Christian." Anastasia said, relaxing against him.

"Only for you, baby."

She giggled. "What kind of cheesy line is that?"

He laughed. "Well...I tried to sound romantic...I take that it didn't work?"

She smiled up at him and giggled again. "I just so happen to be a cheese-a-holic, Mr. Grey."

"Don't I know!"

She smacked his chest, making him laugh. "My little mouse."

XxXxXx

Christian, Anastasia, and her parents stood outside while Christian kept his hand over Anastasia's eyes.

"Are you ready for your first present?" Christian asked excitedly.

Anastasia nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Christian!" She giggled. "Let me see!"

"Oh…alright." He released her eyes and she stood, shock written all over her face, while an SUV sat in the driveway.

"Holy shit!" She went around towards the front and saw the Bentley emblem.

"Oh, holy shit!" Anastasia placed her hands on her cheeks, making Christian laugh.

"You've said that already." He teased.

"Okay…holy hell!" Anastasia shook her head in disbelief. "Christian…you shouldn't have! Do you realize how much this car is worth?"

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "I am exactly aware of how much it cost. I ordered it myself. They made it baby safe and friendly. Think of it as a birthday slash baby gift."

"Wow…still…" Anastasia threw her hands up, not knowing what to say.

"Ana…don't about the cost. To be honest…I'm hoping to get a little driving in on it, myself…if that's okay."

Anastasia laughed. "Of course it's okay! This is one hell of a baby-mobile."

Christian grinned and kissed her. "Let's look inside. I haven't even seen it in person yet. I had them send it straight here yesterday, where your father hid it in the garage."

Anastasia squealed with excitement and ran toward the passenger side. Christian climbed in the driver's side and her parents opened the back to look. Christian turned the car on and they began to explore and play with everything from the touch screen to the windows to the sound system and separate a/c and heating units for all the seats.

"Is there anything this car can't do?" Anastasia asked.

"Make you a beverage." Christian answered. "It can, however, keep it cold." He popped open the center console. "This is cooled…so when you want to keep your beverage or your breastmilk cold for baby Grey, you can. That way, if we're out all day and you've pumped, it won't go bad."

Anastasia felt an intense sense of affection for Christian and had to blink away tears. Not only thinking of her comfort while trying to breastfeed in public, but already thinking of ways to keep baby Grey happy. He really was excited to be a daddy.

She took his face in her hands. "You are going to be one hell of a father…you know that? I can't believe how lucky we are to have such a loving head-of-the-family. You really do go out of your way to take care of not only us, but our entire family." She kissed him soundly before letting go of his face.

Christian blushed and smiled shyly at his feet. Anastasia had to do a double-take. Christian Grey blushing. That's one for the record books.

"I want nothing more than to take care of our family." Christian murmured, playing with the GPS screen.

Anastasia smiled. "I know. And you do a mighty fine job."

"That you do!" Ray piped in, patting Christian's shoulder. "I'm proud to have you as a son."

Christian was beaming. "I appreciate that, sir."

Anastasia laughed. "Okay…enough! I'm too hormonal for all this! Can we go shopping now? I want you to drive us in this."

Christian's eyes lit up. "You want me to drive it first?"

Anastasia nodded. "I want to sit in the passenger's seat and relax while I hold my hot husband's hand."

He chuckled. "Okay, go get your handbags and I'll call Taylor and Sawyer. They'll follow in their SUV."

After arriving at Washington Square, the four of them with Taylor and Sawyer trailing behind started in Nordstrom for her jeans. She ended up with four pair of pants, three new dresses for work, and random lingerie sets.

At first, she tried to hurry and grabbed two pairs of pants before hurrying to the register, knowing her father was getting restless fast, but Christian urged her to continue and told Ray that they could split up and meet later. It didn't take much convincing before her father was out of there. Carla went with him to keep him company, giving Christian free reign of Anastasia…hence the multiple pair of pants, dresses and lingerie.

They enjoyed their one-on-one time, holding hands while Taylor and Sawyer kept people and their camera phones away. They went to the Apple Store where Anastasia enjoyed watching Christian play, then to Teavana where Christian enjoyed watching Anastasia go crazy about her tea. They went to a store dedicated just to male shaving and Christian bought some new fancy equipment and facial products that Anastasia had to fight to keep a straight face about…her beautiful, dominant husband was definitely metrosexual.

They were walking by one of the baby stores when a onesie caught Anastasia's eye and she stopped.

"What is it?" Christian asked, confused by her sudden halt.

"Let's go in here…just for a minute." Anastasia mentioned, pulling him towards the door.

He looked up at the name and smiled when he realized what kind of store it was. She led him over to the rack of onesies and pulled out the one that caught her eye.

"We have to get this!" She gushed, excited. It was a gray onesie that said 'Future CEO' and had a sailboat in the middle. "It's just too perfect! Don't you just love it?"

Christian smiled fondly at his wife. "I do. Let's get it."

Anastasia's shoulders raised in excitement. "I love that we're buying the first item for the baby together."

He grinned and leaned in to kiss her before taking the onesie from her. "Me too, baby."

Movement caught her eye and she looked out the clear glass front. She saw Taylor and Sawyer trying to push back a few random females that had their phones pointed towards the glass. Anastasia blushed and Christian frowned.

"Don't worry about them. Come. Let's pay for this and find your parents." He took her hand and she followed him to the register.

XxXxXx

Once they piled back into the vehicles, Christian saw that it was after two and scowled.

"We need to eat lunch. I lost track of time. Where do you want to go, baby?" He asked, pulling out of the mall.

"Mexican."

His eyebrows rose. "Mexican? That's even worse than Chinese! All that greasy cheese and tortilla chips…"

"Mmm….sounds heavenly! It's your fault! You and your cheesy comment this morning made me think about it." Anastasia mentioned, grinning.

"Ana…"

"But the baby wants it…" She pouted, placing his hand on her stomach. If he could play dirty with food the previous night, so could she.

His eyes became slits and a 'v' formed on his forehead. "I know what your doing…" His hand remained on her stomach and she stayed quiet and watched him, waiting for him to give in.

"Ugh! Fine." He rubbed circles on her stomach with his thumb. "Where to?"

Ray laughed. "Way to crumble, son."

"Are you going to tell her no?" Christian asked, his voice raising an octave.

Ray stayed quiet, deciding to look out his window instead, a small smirk on his face.

"That's what I thought." Christian mumbled.

As much as she was enjoying their bit of banter, she realized that her mother had remained silent most of the car ride. It made her heart ache and her stomach clench, but she told herself to ignore it…at least for the time being…and enjoy the day.

She took a deep breath. "There's a great place by Target. Turn right here…"

XxXxXx

"I am so full. You're running your old man around too much, Annie. I need a nap." Ray mentioned as they made their way back to the house.

Anastasia laughed. "I agree!" She pat her stomach. "I don't think I could pack one more bite in. I should have worn a dress. I didn't think I'd be splurging so much on food!" She leaned back in her seat and slid down, trying to find relief from her tight pants.

Christian grinned and rubbed her stomach. "A bump?" His eyebrow raised.

"That's not your baby, Mr. Grey. That's what we call a food baby." Anastasia giggled.

"I'm happy with either, Mrs. Grey."

Carla sighed heavily in the backseat and Anastasia's smile disappeared. Christian gave her a worried look and squeezed her thigh.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

"Nothing. I'm just ready to get back to the house." Carla answered, sounding a bit annoyed.

Christian's jaw clenched. "I think that nap would be good for all of us. I need time to digest all this terrible food."

Anastasia nodded. "Nap sounds heavenly right about now."

"Good. We'll all take a nap and then get ready for your birthday dinner tonight." Christian announced.

"Ugh. No more food!" Anastasia pleaded.

Christian smirked. "I promise it'll be lighter and healthier than the shit we've been eating."

"Thank you for shopping with me today. I'm sure it wasn't what you wanted to do with your day." Anastasia told him, taking his hand.

He grinned. "I don't mind it. I like spending money on you."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "We're spending a lot of money this year. I think you need to cool it with the spending on me bit."

Christian barked out a laugh. "Are you being serious? Baby...we're _billionaires_. I made more money in the time it took for you to say that than I spent the whole day."

She sighed. "But with the Sound house and all the construction there and then all the baby stuff we'll have to buy...I just-"

"Baby...relax. I promise you that everything is alright. Don't you ever look at our accounts online?"

She shook her head. "No! Why would I do that? It's nerve wracking! I just look at the one my check goes into. I want to make sure you're paying me on time and the correct amount."

Christian laughed. "Maybe it's time for a raise."

Anastasia gasped. "Don't you dare!"

He rolled his eyes. "You know when you cut out all the middle men, it's essentially coming from us and going back to us, right?"

"I don't care! I like my check. Don't you take it away from me!" Anastasia demanded, poking his bicep.

He chuckled. "I won't. I can't, even if I wanted to. I have to have you on the payroll for legal reasons, even if you are co-owner."

"What did you say?"

His eyes widened. "Shit...uh...surprise! It's your other birthday present. Grey Independent Publishing is half yours. When you feel comfortable enough to take it over yourself, I'll sign it over to you."

"Are you crazy?! I don't want to be owner! I like being editor! That wasn't what I went to school for, Christian! If this has anything to do with what happened earlier this week-"

"No, no! I've had this planned for awhile now. I know you like your job and you can keep your job. You just add another label to it." Christian explained.

"It's more than just a label! Shit. Don't forget all the added responsibilities! I'm going to have a baby, Christian! I can't stop in the middle of breastfeeding our child to run to the office because of some emergency!" Anastasia was so irritated by this. The last thing she wanted was more responsibility at work.

"Hey...easy. I didn't say it was going to be right now. You are co-owner now, yes...well as soon as you sign a couple papers...but I won't just throw you to the wolves. I have men and women that help run things...I couldn't do all of this by myself so I would never expect you to. Some day...if you want it...you can have it. Let's not worry about it right now. I didn't want it to upset you. That wasn't my intention." Christian pushed her hair away from her neck and rubbed the back of it.

Anastasia nodded and looked out the window. "We'll see."


	40. Chapter 39

**A/N: I was going to add Sunday to this...but it became too long. Here is the rest of Ana's birthday. Warning: Carla is a real bitch.**

 **Want to give Sanjana Sandeep a shout out for assisting me. She is such a doll. I guess you could consider her my 'second in command'. I throw out ideas to her and she comes back and tells me yay or nay, I complain to her when I don't know where to go, and I even go to her when I'm having a major brain fart and can't come up with the correct word for a sentence. She is my rock and has been my savior on many occasions!**

Anastasia woke up from her nap and stretched. Well...as best she could. Christian was sprawled out on top of her, a leg and an arm thrown over her while his head lay against her chest. When she tried to move to use the restroom, he grunted and pulled her closer. She laid still and waited, listening for his breathing to even out, before she tried again.

The second time, she was ready and slid out of his grip, shoving a pillow in his arms when he made a grab for her. She watched as he rolled over onto his stomach and the pillow basically disappeared under his body while he gripped it. She stifled a giggle and shook her head at him. She loved to watch him sleep. His face was so relaxed and he looked at peace in bed.

She decided she'd jump in the shower really quick before waking him for the evening. Their reservation was for 7:00 pm and it was just now 5:00. She'd give him another half an hour before disturbing him.

Once she had used the toilet, she threw her hair up on her head and jumped in the shower quickly. The tiny shower did seem even tinier after getting use to the monstrous one Christian had with multiple shower heads on both ends. She lathered up, using her apple body wash that Christian became partial to and washed her face before stepping out onto the rug. She hummed quietly to herself while she stood in a towel, fixing her hair in a side bun for the evening. In her head, she went over the dresses they had bought earlier and wondered which one she should wear. She wasn't sure where they were going and didn't know how dressed up she should be.

When she opened the door to the bedroom, she saw that Christian was up. He was rustling around his garment bag that hung in the small closet. She could only see the back of his head.

"Morning, sunshine!" Anastasia greeted.

He grunted at her, making her smile.

"Cranky?" She asked, coming up behind him and reaching up to calm his bedhead.

He turned to her and it was evident that he hadn't completely woken up yet, but when he saw what she was wearing, a smirk grew on his face.

"Oh, no! Later, Grey!" She told him, backing up.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her and reached forward to yank the towel off her body. She clung to it and he scooped her up and dropped her onto the bed.

"I just want a peek." He told her, wrestling her for the towel.

She laughed and shook her head. "No! I know how this goes! A peek never stays a peek!"

"I promise! No funny business!" Christian told her, pouting.

"Oh, alright." Anastasia said, giving in. He yanked the towel open and hummed.

"It must be _my_ birthday..." He mentioned, running his index finger from her neck down to her thigh, making her shiver.

His hand went back up and cupped her sex and she shook her head. "Christian..." She warned.

He sighed. "Fine..." He released her and stood. "Later, though."

Anastasia nodded. "I promise."

Christian watched her wrap her white silk robe around herself. "I've got your next present. Are you ready for it?"

Her eyes widened. "Another one?"

He gave her an amused look and rolled his eyes. "It is your birthday. I am going to spoil you. Here."

He pulled a box out of the top of her closet. It had Lucille Ball wrapping paper and a red satin bow.

Anastasia beamed down at it. "Where did you find this paper? Is this a hint to what's in the box?"

Christian shrugged, grinning. "Maybe."

"Is Lucille Ball hiding in this box?" Anastasia asked, shaking it.

He snorted. "Just open it, baby."

She pulled on the bow and pushed it to the side, grabbing the top of the box and lifting it off. Her hands went to her heart and her jaw dropped. "Oh, Christian!" She pulled out a red 1950's tea length dress with a sweetheart neckline. "It's incredible!"

"Do you like it? I found this little boutique in Seattle. I went and picked it out myself."

She grinned at Christian. "Of course I like it! This is very sweet. Oh, look! And black Louboutin Tpoppins to match. Why...of course!" Anastasia teased, holding up the shoes.

Anastasia laid the dress out on the bed and pulled Christian in for a kiss. "Thank you. I love that you picked it out yourself."

His arms went around her and his hands wandered down to grab her backside. "Will you wear it tonight?"

"Absolutely. I was going to ask you what I should wear..."

"Good. I brought your black cashmere sweater to wear over it. It'll be too chilly without it."

She shook her head at him. "You think of everything." She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "What are you wearing?"

"My navy suit."

She smiled. "My favorite."

"I know."

XxXxXx

"Where are we going?" Anastasia asked, as Christian drove the four of them through Portland in the Bentley.

Christian grinned as he drove up 6th Street and pulled into the bus lane in front of a tall building. Anastasia looked at him confused and then jumped when her car door opened.

"Mrs. Grey..." Sawyer stood there offering his hand to help her out. Once she was on the sidewalk, she watched him travel to the driver's side and jump in, driving away. She guessed he was going to go park it somewhere.

"Shall we?" Christian asked, holding out his arm.

"Where are we?" She asked, on their way into the building and to the elevators.

"I'll give you one hint. It's on the 30th floor." Christian mentioned, resting his hand on the small of her back as the elevator climbed.

Her eyes widened. "Portland City Grill!"

Christian chuckled. "Yes, baby. Your dad mentioned you had been wanting to try it."

"I hear the view is magnificent!" Anastasia said, excited.

"That's why I chose 7:00 pm. We'll be able to watch the sunset and see it all lit up at night." Christian explained.

"I'm pretty excited myself. It's nice being able to share the experience with you two." Ray said, hugging Anastasia to his side.

"I hope you've reserved enough seats for Taylor and Sawyer, Christian."

Christian smirked and raised his eyebrow. "I knew you'd say that. Yes, Ana. They will be joining us."

Anastasia grinned. "Good. I call window seat."

Ray laughed. "I think we'll allow you that just this time."

They rode the rest of the way to the thirtieth floor and when the elevator opened, Christian took Anastasia's hand and escorted her into the restaurant. Her parents followed. There was a large group of people waiting for tables, but a man in a suit saw Christian as soon as they entered.

"Mr. Grey! It is so good to see you! I have your table ready, sir. Right this way."

People stared as they walked by and Anastasia had to keep herself from glaring at a group of women who were gawking at her husband. She stepped closer to him and placed the hand that wasn't holding his in the crook of his elbow. He immediately dropped her hand and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her against him and kissing the top of her head as they followed the man. She wondered if he caught on to her possessiveness and was trying to ease her.

They were escorted into a private dining room that sat at the corner of the building, with windows on two sides to look out of. There was a glass door and wall that looked into the kitchen on the third wall. Anastasia could see a chef with a big white hat and a few others dressed in black. She loved that not only could they see half of Portland, but they could also watch them cook the food. She noticed the table was set for seven and her eyebrows furrowed. They only had six.

Christian escorted her to her seat next to the window and pulled out her chair for her. When she sat and he pushed it in for her, he whispered into her ear. "Don't dwell on it." He kissed her temple and unbuttoned his suit jacket before sitting next to her. Her father left the window seat across from her empty, and sat across from Christian, Carla sitting beside him on the other side. She knew that security would sit on the end, one to each side so they could keep a look out on the doors...so, why was there an empty spot?

She let it go for the time being and gazed out the window, taking in the Seattle skyline. It was so beautiful from that high up. She heard Christian growl and he put an arm across the back of her chair.

"What is it?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"I'm sick of every one of these fuckers looking at you. All the way in, everyone stared and now the kitchen staff can't keep their eyes off you. They're practically fucking you with their eyes. You're mine." He growled low.

Her parents were both taken aback by his words, but Anastasia laughed. "Funny you say that, because I felt the same way about the women looking at you."

"I didn't even notice." He mentioned, taking a drink of his ice water.

"Me either." She shrugged. "Guess we only have eyes for each other."

Christian's hard look relaxed and he gave her a small smile. "Yes. Only you, Ana."

"Hello! My name is Cassandra and I'll be your waitress tonight. It is an honor to have you here, Mr. Grey. What may I get you to drink?" The waitress asked, batting her eyes at Christian.

"My pregnant wife will have a lemonade and I would like your reserved wine list." Christian answered, his face impassive. Anastasia smirked when she saw Cassandra's smile falter and had to look out of the window to hide her snicker.

Christian looked to Ray to continue. "I'll have a Crown Royal Apple on the rocks. Make it a double. Carla?"

"Wine would be lovely." She mentioned and Christian smiled at her and nodded before looking up at Cassandra, shooing her away.

Taylor and Sawyer showed up right after the waitress walked away. There was someone following them and Anastasia had to do a double take.

"Jose?"

He grinned at her. "Happy birthday, Ana!"

She stood to give him a quick hug before he moved around the table to sit across from her. "So I spoke to Kate."

Anastasia bit her lip. "Yea?"

"She filled me in on everything. It would have been nice to hear it from you...but you seem to have forgotten about little ol' me." Jose said, feigning hurt.

"I'm sorry, Jose. I didn't tell my parents until last night and we've been busy all day. I'm glad you are here, though. Thank you for coming." Anastasia smiled.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss your birthday. Thank you, Christian for flying me down from Boston." Jose mentioned, offering his hand.

Christian shook it and gave him a nod. "Whatever makes my wife happy."

"This is a killer view, Ana." Jose said, staring out at the skyline.

She nodded and looked out herself. "I've always wanted to try this place. Couldn't afford to come when I lived here."

Christian rubbed her shoulder. "You can afford anything you want, now." He said, proudly.

She resisted an eye roll. She knew how much he loved treating her and she knew he was eating this all up. So, instead, she gave him a warm smile and leaned toward him to kiss his lips.

The waitress came back with their drinks and the wine list and took the rest of their drink orders.

"I don't know what to get, Christian. It all looks so good!" Anastasia exclaimed, looking over the menu.

"I already have my eye on what I want." Christian said, grinning.

"Yea? What's that?" She asked. Christian's eyes darkened for a moment and she bit her lip. She was second guessing not having a quickie at home before coming. He licked his lips and looked back down at the menu before meeting her eyes again. When he looked back up, his eyes were light again and he smiled.

"The ribeye and lobster tail." Christian's eyebrows lifted in excitement, making her giggle.

"Ick. No thank you, Mr. Grey. I think I will continue to look."

"I think I'm going to have the king salmon." Jose mentioned.

Anastasia wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't sound good either..."

"I think you should stay away from seafood. The mercury can hurt the baby." Christian said, frowning.

Anastasia rolled her eyes at this. "I am aware of what I can and cannot have, Christian. I don't want seafood. The thought makes my stomach roll. Daddy...what are you having?"

Ray grinned like a Cheshire cat. "The same as Christian."

"Good choice." Christian nodded, smiling.

"How about the stuffed chicken?" Anastasia asked, aloud while her eyes searched the menu.

"No goat cheese." Christian told her.

"But..."

"No. We aren't taking that chance."

She huffed. "Fine. How about...honey-brined pork tenderloin?" She looked up at him and grinned.

"What does it come with?" He scanned the sides. "Yes, that'll be fine."

"Thank you, master." She answered, sarcastically. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized what she said and Christian went still. "I didn't...I didn't mean..."

"Shh, it's fine." Christian kissed her temple.

She took a cleansing breath and tried to push it out of her mind. "Christian! They have white cheddar mac and cheese to share!"

Christian's eyes lit up. "I suppose I can find some room for that..." He said, patting his stomach. As she watched him do it, she pictured his hard abs and her hormones jumped into overdrive. She looked up at him and licked her lips. His eyes went molten for a second time, his pupils dilating, and she had to look away before they made it obvious.

She cleared her throat and looked down at the menu. "I guess it's settled then. We'll get the mac and cheese."

She took a drink of her lemonade and concentrated on Jose. "So, Jose...how's work going? You've been busy?"

"I work with models on a day-to-day basis...how do you think it's going?" Jose asked, winking.

She laughed. "So, does that mean you are glad you're unattached now?" Christian slowly slid his hand from her knee to her thigh while they conversed, using the pads of his fingers to rub circles on her inner thigh. She clenched her thighs together and tried to concentrate on what Jose was saying.

"Yes, I think it's for the best. Not that I jump into bed with every girl I meet...but it is nice to be single in a new city. I can do as I please and not have to answer to anyone. I'd still rather be outside taking pictures, but I can do that when I'm not at work. The magazine pays a hell of a lot more than trying to sell pictures of mountains over the internet."

Christian slid his fingers out from between her thighs and took her hand, placing it in his lap, right on top of the tent in his pants. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but she covered it up by grabbing her glass of lemonade and taking a drink. She was suddenly glad that Christian sat so close to her, because if he tried that while he was farther away, it'd be too obvious. Her hormones were making her brave and she decided to grab it and squeeze. Christian exhaled sharply and put his hand that was holding his napkin over hers to hide it. She continued to play, making sure she didn't move her arm and kept her eyes locked on Jose's as they talked. Ray started to speak to Christian about work and she was pleased to note that Christian's voice was a little breathy and there was a break in his sentences every time she squeezed a certain way.

She wondered if he'd be up for bathroom sex. She glanced over at him and caught him looking at her.

He leaned into her ear and kissed the outer shell before whispering, "Not here".

She gave him a small pout and stopped rubbing his tent, making him chuckle. "Soon." He said quietly, rubbing her knee.

XxXxXx

Once they had finished dinner, Anastasia's father handed her a small, wrapped box.

"I was going to give you this on your wedding day, but we were both too emotional...so I set it aside for today." Ray announced, smiling at her.

She cocked an eyebrow at him before ripping open the paper. It was a small, worn black velvet box and her eyes widened. "Is this..." She started, listening to it creak as she opened it. Inside sat an antique locket. A slow grin appeared on her face. "It is! Oh, Dad...are you sure? You should keep this..."

"No, Annie. You're my daughter. I want to hand it down." Ray assured her.

"Oh, God...here I go." Anastasia said laughing, waving at her face as tears started to form.

"What is it, baby?" Christian asked, leaning over.

She handed him the necklace. "It's his grandmother's. When I was little, I use to sneak into his drawer and look at it...at least, I thought I was sneaking..."

Ray smiled. "It's hard not to notice when the box moved once a week. For months, Carla was convinced that my grandmother's ghost was haunting us."

Anastasia giggled, but Carla kept her eyes on the table in front of her, looking uncomfortable.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Anastasia asked.

"Fine." Carla said, giving her a nod.

Anastasia eyed her for a moment and then shifted to Ray. "Thank you, Daddy. I love it."

"You're welcome, Annie." He looked over at Carla and cleared his throat.

"Oh, yes. Here you go, Ana. Happy birthday." Carla said, handing her a present. Anastasia frowned. Why would she come if she was so miserable?

Anastasia made eye contact with Ray and he shook his head, indicating she should just let it go. She nodded and tore open the present from her mother.

"We thought you might need something to keep that in." Ray mentioned as she tore open the paper box.

"Oh, wow." She pulled out an old jewelry box. "It's very pretty." It was a heart-shaped box with two roses on the top.

Ray looked at Carla to explain. She sighed. "The box was my mothers. We thought it would be nice for you to have something from both of our sides."

Anastasia smiled. "Well, then I love it. Thank you! This means so much to me." The jewelry box was large enough to house the locket and the crushed velvet box it came in, so Anastasia set it inside. "Perfect fit." Anastasia wanted to be happy, but the way her mother was acting was tearing her heart out. She wiped away a few tears that were falling and Christian rubbed her back.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I just love it all. Thank you." He eyed her, knowing she was lying, but left it for the time being.

"Ana...I couldn't bring your present to the restaurant because it's too big, but I brought a picture." Jose mentioned, sliding a photo towards her face down, trying to get her mind off of her mother.

She smiled at him and grabbed the picture, flipping it over. Her smile fell and she paled.

"Jose...this isn't funny..."

"I'm not kidding, Ana. I found it."

"You found it? How? How did you...?" Anastasia shook her head, staring at the picture in her hands. It was a picture of her childhood guitar that was left at her birth father's house when he was arrested.

"After he was taken away, his belongings were packed away and put in the attic. There are new owners and I spoke to them. They said they had never even gone through any of it, so I asked if I could. I found this and I found your old teddy." He lifted her teddy up from under the table and she squealed, grabbing it and holding it to her chest.

"You are incredible! Oh, I cannot believe you found this!" She looked down at it and smoothed the fur around its face. "I slept with this for years." Her eyebrows furrowed. "When I left there...I thought I left my whole childhood behind." She wiped at more tears. "Ugh, I hate hormones."

Christian wrapped an arm around her and kissed her hair, but his jaw was clenched and so was the fist that sat on her hip. "I didn't know you could play."

Her smile returned. "I can't." She laughed. "Jose was good at it, even back then. When I was nine, I begged my parents for a guitar and Ray found one really cheap at a yard sale. It was full sized, so it was rather large for me, but I was determined to play it anyway. Jose was trying to teach me...but we didn't get very far before all of the chaos happened and then I no longer had one. I didn't really care to play after, anyway. I'm glad to have it back now, though. Maybe Elliot can teach me."

Christian nodded. "Maybe." He didn't sound too committed to that idea.

Jose frowned. "I could teach you over Skype."

Anastasia's smile widened. "Oh, yes...that's a great idea!"

Jose's face lit up. "Great! I'll let you know what my schedule looks like once I get back to Boston."

Christian gripped Anastasia's knee under the table a little harder. He was not happy about this arrangement, but at least this way Jose couldn't touch her.

"Annie...you started to mention that you have pictures of the baby...can I see?" Ray asked.

"Oh, yes! I almost forgot." Anastasia mentioned, turning to get into her handbag that was hanging on the back of her chair. She pulled out her ultrasound pictures and handed them to Ray. "I was seven weeks there."

"Oh, wow. You can already see that it's a baby." Ray said, passing the pictures to Jose who squinted his eyes and turned his head to the side to try and figure out what he was looking at.

Anastasia laughed. "Here...put it on the table...I'll explain." She leaned over and pointed to parts of the picture and Jose nodded, even though she had a feeling he had no idea what the hell she was talking about.

"Next time, I'm going to ask for a 3D." Christian told Ray. "These black and whites don't really show much. I need to see more of our baby."

Ray's eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled fondly back at Christian. "I can't wait to see them. Do you want to look, Carla?"

He tried to hand her an ultrasound picture, but she just picked up her wine and shook her head. Anastasia's heart dropped into her stomach. She _really_ was unhappy about this announcement.

"Mom?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Ana." Her mother barked.

"Easy." Christian warned, giving Carla a hard look.

Carla rolled her eyes at him and his whole body went rigid. "You are a grown woman, don't you think rolling your eyes is rather juvenile? We've done nothing, but try to include you on Ana's birthday and we've taken care of everything and this is how you treat both of us? This is Ana's day and I would appreciate it if you'd stow your attitude for just one night." Anastasia's hand went to his thigh and gripped his trousers in her hand.

"Well thank you for _including_ me on MY child's birthday! You do not have the authority to decide who Ana spends her birthday with...so stop acting as if you have control over every aspect of her life! You might have convinced her to marry you and gotten her pregnant, but you can't control everything Christian! I'm sick of it! You have ruined her life by getting her pregnant so soon! If it wasn't for you and your Neanderthal ideas of what a relationship should be like, Ana would be flourishing in her career! There isn't anything she couldn't have done! Now she is stuck! She is stuck being barefoot and pregnant in your kitchen for the rest of your lives!" Carla spat before downing her glass of wine.

Anastasia exhaled a deep breath that she didn't realize she was holding. Christian was shaking next to her. She was completely speechless; she didn't know what to say. Ray leaned over the table and offered his hand, which she took.

"Don't listen to her, Ana. I don't know what her problem is. Christian...I hope you don't take what she is saying personal. I think she's had too much to drink. " Ray kept his brown eyes on hers, trying to calm her down.

"Anastasia...if you were smart, you would march down to the clinic and get rid of that child...and make sure that it works the first time!"

"Carla...stop now!" Christian fists were clenched as tight as they'd go and Anastasia put an arm on his bicep to try and calm him. "What we do is our business...and we are not going to murder our child."

Taylor and Sawyer both watched Christian, not sure what was coming next. Anastasia had never seem them so unsure.

"Wait! What do you mean make sure it works the first time?" Anastasia inquired.

Carla looked down at her lap. "I...it was a long time ago, Ana...I didn't see any of the good that could come from it."

"Are you saying...?"

"I wasn't ready to be a mother, Anastasia."

Anastasia felt like she had been hit in the stomach. "Do you regret it not working?"

Carla frowned. "Everything turned out alright in the end, Ana...but there were many times in your childhood that I wondered how much farther I'd be in life if it would have worked. I do love you, Ana. I'm glad you're here now. You gave me so much joy..."

Anastasia put her hand up to shut her mother up. "Is that why you left me with Dad after you ran off with Morton? So you could be rid of me?"

"You wanted to stay with him, Ana."

"But you were glad?"

Carla sighed. "A part of me was relieved. After everything that happened with your birth father and having to home school you and try and keep you from having panic attacks multiple times a day...it crumbled our marriage and...I felt...free."

"I was nothing, but an inconvenience...a burden for you and Dad? I was the reason you got a divorce?"

"No, Annie! I love you with everything in me! It is not your fault! Carla never told me about any of this! I knew her patience ran thin with you, but that happens with most mothers. I do not agree or feel the same way she does. I can't believe you are saying this, Carla! She is your child!"

"I want her to understand, Ray! I don't want her to go through all of this pain again! Her childhood was horrific, yes. And I don't want her to feel like she's _still_ drowning because she has a child she needs to take care of! What happens if Christian turns out like-"

"DON'T YOU DARE! Don't you fucking even go there! Christian is nothing like he was! You can go fuck yourself for all I care!" Anastasia shouted, jumping out of her chair and surprising everyone.

Christian pulled her down into his shaking body and held her tight. "Sawyer...take the Bentley and take her parents home. Now. Jose...meet us at the house. When we get there, I don't want to see Carla's face. If she cannot control herself by staying in the room, we will put her in a hotel. Jose will give Ana her present and we are going to enjoy the rest of our evening. Taylor, you will take Ana and me." He said, trying to stay as controlled as he could.

"Carla will stay in a hotel." Ray mentioned, sneering at her. "I can't even look at her right now."

"Sawyer, take Miss Wilks to the hotel and check her in." Christian commanded, looking pleased with Ray.

"My pleasure, sir." Sawyer answered, narrowing his eyes towards Carla.

Anastasia didn't expect Sawyer to be so affected by what her mother said. He was always so formal with her that she had thought he never got over her running away from him the day of the Leila confrontation. At that moment she felt the intense urge to squeeze him, but she knew she couldn't, so she turned in Christian's lap and squeezed him instead.

Christian squeezed her back and kept pressing kisses to her hair. The waitress came and asked if anyone wanted dessert. Anastasia was positively tickled to see the waitress scowling at her and she leaned up against Christian and kissed his temple as she watched the waitress. _Take that bitch. He's mine._

"That won't be necessary. Just the check please." Christian answered, holding onto Anastasia with one arm while he turned and grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket. He pulled out his Black American Express and handed it to the waitress when she tried to hand him the check. "Cork this bottle. We're taking the rest home." He commanded.

She scurried off into the kitchen with the the card and bottle and the others stood to take their leave.

"You'll be home soon?" Ray asked, confirming.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

"Good. Jose and I will be there...Jose? Care to give me a lift?" Ray asked, refusing to look towards Carla. Anastasia snuck a look at her mother and saw that she looked like she was going to be sick. Anastasia had a feeling that her mother realized she no longer had a home with Ray. She wanted to feel bad for her mother...but she didn't have it in her at the moment.

"Of course, Ray. We'll see you soon, Ana. Christian." Jose said, nodding towards him. He followed the others out and closed the big wooden door behind him, leaving Taylor, Anastasia, and Christian.

Anastasia's chin started to tremble and she looked at Christian, whose forehead was creased.

"Christian...I am so sorry that my mother spoke to you like that. She had no right...this is between her and me and she should have never-"

"Ssshh...you are my life. If it has to do with you, it has to do with me. Now, I know how she really feels about me." Christian frowned.

"Please don't let her get to you. If you hadn't noticed by now...she isn't the best judge of character. I think she just happened to get lucky at finding Ray." Anastasia mentioned, rubbing her thumb against his chin stubble.

"I don't think she's going to have him for much longer." Christian mentioned.

"She's going to see it as him picking me over her." Anastasia said, looking down.

"He is picking you over her...and he should. You're his daughter...and she's..."

"A bitch." Anastasia finished, automatically. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said.

Christian laughed, causing Taylor to laugh, too. Anastasia covered her face in her hands and giggled.

The waitress came back with the receipt and he signed it, dropping a hundred dollar bill in the black folder before closing it and handing it back to her.

"Thank you, Mr. Grey. Have a wonderful evening."

He gave her a stiff nod and looked back down at Anastasia. "Ready?"

Anastasia nodded.

XxXxXx

"Taylor, drive around until I knock on the separation." Christian commanded, hitting the button so that the barrier between the front and back of the SUV came up and shut Taylor out.

Once Taylor disappeared, Anastasia turned and straddled Christian's lap, kissing him deeply. "I need you." She murmured against his lips.

He hummed against her lips and reached down and under her dress, unbuckling and unzipping his pants. Once he pulled himself free, he hooked a finger in the crotch of her panties and pulled it aside. She cupped his face and kept her lips on his as she slid forward and down onto him. The both moaned at the connection.

She released his lips and let out a sob, pressing her forehead against his as she started to move against him.

"Oh, baby...no. Don't cry." Christian wiped a stray tear off her cheek and cupped her face, pulling her lips back to his for a sweet kiss.

"I just need you." Anastasia answered.

"I'm right here. Take your time. You're in control." He cooed, his eyes not leaving hers. His hands slid up her legs and held onto her hips.

She rode him slowly and she watched his jaw clench and loosen, and clench again. She knew he was struggling.

"Help me." She whispered, making him groan.

He gripped her hips and slid down the seat a little, causing her to slide down further on his dick. Her head fell back and she moaned as he gripped her hips and pulled and pushed her body, making her slide along his shaft as he hit the sweet spot on her front wall each time.

"Oh, yes...right there." Anastasia breathed out, gripping his shoulders and clenching around him. He groaned at the intense friction between them. She began to move her hips, helping him and his head fell back against the headrest.

"Yes, baby. Ride me...just like that...fuck." His body tensed as he tried to keep himself from coming. "Come on, Ana. Give it to me. I can't hold on much longer."

"So close, Christian..." Anastasia moved faster and felt the flutter. "Oh, Christian...oh...Christian!" she had a fleeting thought that Taylor could hear everything that was happening, but her body tensed and she screamed, shuddering through her intense orgasm.

"Ana! Fuck..." Christian's head leaned back further as he pressed his hips into her and he exploded.

She fell forward and against his body, nuzzling into his neck. "So good." She panted, trying to catch her breath.

"Mmhmm." He answered into her hair.

After another minute, they straightened and fixed themselves and Christian knocked on the barrier between the front and back. Anastasia's cheeks reddened, knowing Taylor heard her screams.

Christian chuckled and tucked her into his side. "He doesn't listen."

She knew there was no way he could have ignored that...but she tried to push it to the back of her mind.

XxXxXx

"Put your fingers in this position...no...like this." Jose moved her fingers on the neck of her guitar, but her fingers wouldn't stay. Her head fell back in a laugh.

"My fingers don't move like that, Jose."

He shook his head. "You just need practice. Let's try again." He moved her fingers again and this time they stayed. Christian sat on the opposite side of her, his jaw tense and his eyes hard. It took everything in him not to go off on Jose for touching her.

"HA!" Anastasia got excited, making them slip. "Well, shit."

Jose laughed and moved her fingers once more. "There! Now don't move them... strum with your thumb." She did and it was the first time the guitar didn't sound like a dying animal.

"Did you hear that?! Baby! I'm playing the guitar!" She turned toward Christian, raising her shoulders in excitement and strumming again.

Christian chuckled. "Yes, I hear. It sounds beautiful." He leaned in and kissed her lips. "You are so fucking adorable." He whispered before pecking her lips again.

"Very good, Ana. Now, let's move to the next chord."

Ana turned back toward Jose and nodded. "I am ready!"

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia laid in bed that night, curled up together.

"I'm sorry your birthday didn't turn out like you hoped it would." Christian said quietly, twirling her hair around his finger.

Anastasia didn't know what to say. Now that she had time to think, she was starting to become depressed about the whole situation. She shrugged against him.

"What is it, Ana?"

"I'm not supposed to be here, Christian."

Christian's chest stopped raising and falling, his breath caught in his throat. "Ana...don't say that. You _are_ supposed to be here. If you weren't, you wouldn't be. You survived an abortion attempt. Doesn't that tell you just how much you're meant to be here?"

"It shows that the doctor didn't know what he was doing."

"Stop it! My life would be empty without you. You saved me, Ana."

Anastasia frowned. "I wonder how much my mother really fought my birth father on the whole custody situation. I can't help, but think she was happy to ship me off those weekends so she didn't have to deal with me." The thought of her mother sitting at home ecstatic while she was being abused, made her stomach clench.

"Your mother has a lot of issues, Ana and what she said and did is unforgivable...but I cannot imagine her being happy if she knew what was going on. She would have never sent you over there if she knew what he was doing. I saw how much it affected her on the fourth of July. I know she loves you, Ana. She's just a selfish bitch. She doesn't have the mothering capability that most women have. Thank God you have Ray. If you never want to see her again, I completely understand. If she isn't going to support us or our baby, there is no reason to have her around. I won't have that negativity around our child. There are too many others who will love him or her; it isn't a loss for her not to be around." Christian kissed the top of her head.

Anastasia felt sick over the whole thing. Her mother and her had never had a close relationship; she knew that her mother's boyfriends were always more important than she was. She never thought that her mother regretted having her all together. Why hadn't her mother ever told her what she tried? Why did she have to bring it up on her birthday? Of all days to remind her that she was never meant to be born. Anastasia couldn't believe that the discussion even happened. It seemed like a bad dream. She didn't know if she was ever going to be able to get over this. There was no way she was going to allow her child to be around someone who felt that way. She wanted Anastasia to kill her own grandchild...of course she did try to kill her old child, so she shouldn't be surprised by it.

She was going to have a baby...and instead of having her mother to lean on and call when she had questions, she had to navigate it herself. Grace was a doctor and a mother, but she had never been pregnant herself. She was hoping that talking about and comparing their pregnancies would bring her and her mother closer. Instead, the pregnancy had torn them apart. Anastasia knew she would take Christian and baby Grey over her any day of the week. The way her mother spoke to Christian was harsh and uncalled for. Her mother barely knew Christian...that was evident when she opened her big mouth. Anastasia was proud of how controlled Christian was in the situation. He kept his cool and it helped keep her calm.

"What are you thinking about?" Christian asked through the dark quiet. "I can practically smell your brain overheating."

Anastasia let out a long sigh. "Just going over everything in my head. Thank you for being so mature about the situation, Christian. You could have exploded and ranted like a child, but instead you kept your head. It made me feel calmer."

"It took everything in me not to. I wanted to hurt her when she suggested murdering our child. I love this child already, Anastasia. If anything happened...well, it's just too tragic to think about."

Anastasia turned her head and kissed one of his burn scars. "I love the baby, too. I'll do everything in my power to keep this baby safe, Christian. Don't worry."

"So will I, Ana...for both you and the baby. You two are mine; your safety and happiness is my number one priority." Christian reached down and rested his hand on her flat stomach. "I can't wait until your belly swells. I want everyone to see the physical manifestation of our growing family. I want everyone who looks at you to know that you are mine and I am yours and that you're growing a child that is ours." Christian's thumb began to rub circles around her navel.

Anastasia snorted. "At least you added that you're mine, too. You're still as possessive as ever." She sighed. "I have a feeling that it'll become more so now that I'm carrying your child."

Christian grinned into the dark. "You are carrying precious cargo, Ana. _Our_ precious cargo. When people touch you, they're touching both of you and no one touches what's mine."

"You make me feel cherished, Christian."

Anastasia knew she should be annoyed with his possessiveness, but after what her mother just confessed, she almost needed to hear him say it...be reminded how special she was and how much he loved her and the baby.

"You are, baby. You mean more to me than anything. I love you, Mrs. Grey."

She grinned into his chest. "I love you, too, Mr. Grey."


	41. Chapter 40

**A/N: This chapter is a nice, fun day for them before they return to Escala.**

The next morning, Anastasia laid in her bed, while Christian took a shower in the tiny bathroom. She was laying on her back with her butt on the pillows, her legs up in the air with her feet resting against the window frame. She could always think better that way. She had tried it at home, but the bed didn't have windows behind it and it wasn't the same. She wondered what was going on with her mother; what was going through her head right at that moment? She didn't even know how something like this could ever be fixed. She always had to work at the relationship with her mother, but she loved her dearly and she knew that no one could ever replace Carla. It was painful to think that Carla had felt this way Anastasia's whole life and she had no idea. She thought her mother loved her unconditionally...she had always told Anastasia that what she went through was worth it to have her.

She didn't know how to navigate this. She might have never found this information out if she hadn't gotten pregnant. People say ignorance is bliss...but Anastasia wasn't sure if she would have wanted to continue on, not knowing. This baby was becoming a blessing in many ways. She loved her mother, but the baby was more important. She wouldn't want the baby around anyone who had such insidious thoughts about him or her. Her mother always had a way of breaking pieces of her heart and she was always so quick to forgive because she wanted and needed the love of her mother. Her heart ached when her mother put her men first or didn't make time to speak to her for weeks at a time. Anastasia knew that she wasn't the easiest child to deal with, but she never thought that her mother had despised her. She had left her with Ray so that she could get away from her...in the back of her mind, though...she kind of always knew that. It was time for Anastasia to put her big girl panties on and just break the tie. She would not run back to her mother, begging for a relationship because she needed it. Anastasia only needed Christian, Ray, and now the baby. Her world would not crumble because of a woman who had a tendency to let her down.

Christian came out of the bathroom, breaking Anastasia's thoughts. She looked over to see him running a towel through his hair, his body completely naked. _That_ is what she needed to see. It instantly made her feel better. She took him in and he grinned at her from the bathroom doorway as he finished towel drying his hair.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking over her position.

"Thinking."

"About what?" He came and laid next to her, propping his feet up next to hers.

"Well...now I'm thinking you've got your naked ass on my pillows!"

Christian chuckled and slid his arm under her head. "It's clean!"

She giggled and shook her head.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

She sighed. "I'm thinking of my mother. I wonder how Dad is feeling about all of this. He loves her. He never stopped loving her after she left him...and it was all my fault. If I could have handled myself better after everything that had happened, they might have never broken up. I was a complete basket case. And now, I've torn their relationship apart for a second time." Anastasia shook her head and willed herself not to cry.

"Ana...you were so young. You dealt with it the best you could. You cannot blame yourself for the crumbling of their marriage. It is obvious that your mother never stays happy for long. She's had another marriage after the third and it had nothing to do with you. If what she showed us last night is the person she really is, then Ray is better off without her. Maybe them getting back together for this short time is closure for him. He knows now that she isn't what she seemed. She did this to herself." Christian explained.

"Poor Dad, though. I've felt so guilty leaving him here alone while I was in Seattle and then when Mom announced she was coming back, I felt relieved...and now he's going to be alone again."

"If you're worried about him being lonely...why don't we ask him to move to Seattle? We'll find him a nice house and he can be closer to us and the baby." Christian suggested.

Anastasia squealed and jumped up on her knees to face him. "That's a wonderful idea!" She squeezed him around the waist and then traveled down his body, stopping at his penis. "Are you ready to receive your thank you present, Mr. Grey?" She asked, bringing it to her lips and kissing the head. It immediately grew in her hand.

Christian groaned and shimmied towards the other end of the bed so she could sit between his legs. "This is quite possibly the best thank you I'll ever receive."

XxXxXx

"I want to get Daddy some groceries and fix lunch before we leave." Anastasia announced while Christian got dressed after his Christian exclusive.

"Okay. Just make a list for Taylor and they'll go get them." Christian said, pulling on his shirt.

"No, silly. We're going to go to the store."

Christian snorted. "Why would we go to the store when we don't have to?"

Anastasia's forehead wrinkled. "Because it's fun! That's why!"

Christian rolled his eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me! When was the last time you went to the grocery store?" Anastasia asked, curious.

"Er...college maybe?"

Anastasia's eyes widened. "That's it. I'm taking you to Wal-Mart!"

"Wal-Mart? I thought we were going to the grocery store."

Anastasia started giggling. "You haven't been in so long that you don't know that Wal-Mart has groceries?"

"What?! When did this happen?"

"Like...forever ago!" Anastasia answered.

"Obviously not! The last time I was in a Wal-Mart I was twelve and we went with our mom to get wrapping paper for Mia's birthday...I remember, because Wal-Mart was the only place that had purple Cinderella wrapping paper and I couldn't figure out why it had to be purple."

"Yea..see...forever. You're old."

Christian's jaw dropped and Anastasia giggled. "I beg your pardon?!"

"See...you even speak old." Anastasia sassed.

"Get your ass over here!"

"No!" She squealed as he jumped onto the bed to get to her and she flew out the door and down the stairs.

"Daddy! Help!" Anastasia screamed as she continued into the kitchen and stood behind her father as he was making coffee.

"What? What's wrong?" Ray looked panicked.

Christian stepped into the kitchen. "YOU!" He pointed at Anastasia and she used Ray as a shield. "You are in so much trouble! Get your butt over here!"

"Daddy, save me!" Anastasia whined, holding onto his waist.

Ray laughed. "Of course, I'll save you."

Anastasia looked over the side of Ray's shoulder and stuck her tongue out at Christian and he scowled playfully back at her.

"What happened?" Ray asked.

"She called me-"

"Oh, nothing important!" Anastasia interrupted. "I was thinking...I want to make us lunch before we go, so we're going to go to the store for you."

"Annie...you don't need to do that..." Ray started.

"Oh, please!" Anastasia begged. "I hardly ever get to cook at home. Gail always shoo's me out of the kitchen. I want to." She wanted to make sure her father was taken care of for the week. All that take out and delivery wasn't good for him.

"Oh...alright. But let me make you some breakfast first." Ray said, opening the fridge.

"What? You're going to make breakfast? Last time you tried that...we had to call the fire department." Anastasia looked worried.

Ray laughed and laid out the eggs and bacon on the counter. "Jose Sr. taught me how to make the bacon in the oven."

Anastasia was impressed. "You'll have to teach me then, Dad." She took the bacon off the counter and pulled the corner, opening the bacon. She got one whiff of the bacon and threw it on the counter, covering her nose and mouth. Her stomach was doing somersaults.

"Dad...I think that bacon is bad." Anastasia mentioned, behind her hand.

"What do you mean? I just bought it a few days ago." Ray picked it up and smelled it before looking at the expiration date. "It doesn't expire for another three weeks."

Christian's eyebrow shot up and he smelled it, too. He didn't want any of them getting sick from rotten meat. Once he smelled it, he shrugged. "Smells fine to me."

Anastasia looked at both of them and then stepped up to the bacon, uncovering her nose. It only got a couple inches from her face before she covered it again and ran. The smell was overpowering and her stomach lurched uncomfortably. She hurried to the bathroom and just made it to the toilet before emptying her stomach which didn't contain much, but bile.

She felt a hand on her back rubbing in circles. "I'm here." Christian coo'd quietly.

She rested her head against her arm on the toilet seat and waited as she caught her breath. Her body relaxed as Christian continued to rub circles between her shoulder blades.

"I hate that you have to go through this, Ana. I don't know what I can do to help..."

"Just get rid of that terrible food and don't stop rubbing." She said, leaving her eyes closed.

"Done and done." He assured, crouching behind her and using both palms.

Her stomach heaved one last time and she waited another few moments before moving.

"Okay...I think I'm done." She shut the lid and flushed the toilet. Christian helped her up and wet a washrag, wiping her face and mouth.

"How do you feel?" Christian asked once she rinsed her mouth.

"Honestly?" She giggled. "Hungry. Maybe pancakes would be a better choice..."

Christian gave her a grin. "I'll ask security to grab us breakfast. I don't think your dad or I are competent enough to figure out how to make those without hurting ourselves and I want you to relax...especially if you're making lunch."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Fine...do that. I'm going to go brush my teeth."

"Do you need help up the stairs?" Christian asked, seriously.

She resisted a snort, because she knew he was genuinely worried for her. "No, Christian. I am capable. Go ask Dad what he wants for breakfast and call them. I'm hungry."

XxXxXx

Christian, Anastasia, and Ray climbed out of the car at Wal-Mart. Anastasia had convinced Christian not to call security. There was no way paparazzi would be here and they'd just draw more attention to themselves by having two men in suits following them everywhere.

"It's so big." Christian commented, making Anastasia laugh.

"Do you ever look at your surroundings when you're driven around? Surely, Taylor has driven past a few of them since they've become supercenters?" Anastasia asked, taking his hand in hers.

Christian shrugged. "I'm usually on my phone or looking at emails. I trust that Taylor sees all."

Once Anastasia grabbed a cart and deposited her handbag in the top, she and her father headed straight for the clearance section.

"Do they really need three aisles of clearance?" Christian asked, seeing the yellow signs above their heads. "Do they sell _any_ of their inventory?"

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Are you going to be like this the whole trip? You're kind of ruining it for me, Grey!"

Christian cocked an eyebrow. "Ruining what exactly?"

"The rush you get from finding things super cheap!" Anastasia lifted her shoulders in excitement as they rounded the corner into the first aisle of clearance.

"You actually get a rush out of cheap things?" Christian asked, incredulously.

Anastasia nodded and smiled.

"I called Annie the coupon princess when she lived with me. She had a coupon for everything. It saved us a lot of money." Ray mentioned, inspecting the first section of shelves. "She could get $150 in groceries and things for the house for $50. She's incredible!"

Christian stopped in his tracks and looked at Anastasia. "Really?" She could practically see his mind working it out.

Anastasia stepped up to the shelves and looked at an iPod speaker that was half off. "Yes...for instance...Target. You can use a target coupon with a manufacturer coupon and then they have these gift cards that they give you if you buy two or three of a certain something...so you can use two coupons for each item...and you can print of multiple of the same coupon...and THEN on top of that they give you a gift card back to use on another purchase. I use to save the gift cards and buy items for the battered women's shelter." She explained, placing the iPod speaker back in its place and continuing down the aisle.

"How come you never told me?"

She shrugged. "There was no reason to. You just spend what you want."

Christian regarded her for another moment and she saw his facial expression change. Before she could figure out what it was, he turned away and started to study the things on the shelves.

"Look at this!" Christian called, grabbing something off the shelf. It was a loofa on a stick. "I didn't know they made these! It's two bucks! We need this."

Anastasia giggled. "We _need_ it, do we?"

Christian nodded. "I'll get you one, too, Ray. What color? yellow or red?" he asked, holding them both up. "Forget it...they're two dollars. I'll get both." He threw four of the back scrubbers into the cart.

"What else can we find?" Christian asked, suddenly giddy.

"I've created a monster." Anastasia told Ray as she grinned at Christian. His inner child was coming out and it was a sight to behold. Christian had missed out on a lot of things that other people did every day. Something as simple as shopping was new and exciting for him and it broke her heart. If he hadn't been beaten at such a young age, making him a hermit, and then tied up most of his teenage years, he could have experienced these things. Life had been cruel to Christian for so long...it was time for him to be able to relax and enjoy himself.

"Look at these! These are screen cleaning wipes...FOR YOUR PHONE! Four bucks for thirty of them...we'll get two." Christian mentioned, throwing them in.

"Maybe we should get a second cart..." Ray whispered, making Anastasia giggle.

By the time they made it to the grocery side of the store, their cart was almost full of random things and Christian jogged to the front to get an empty one for the groceries.

"Baby, can you go get me a bag of baking potatoes?" Anastasia asked, as they walked through the grocery side.

Anastasia helped Ray pick out different fruits for a couple minutes and realized Christian never came back. When they finished picking a few pears, he returned, empty handed and looking sheepish.

"What happened?" Anastasia asked.

Christian scratched his head and his eyebrows knitted together. "I don't know what kind..."

Anastasia had to stifle a laugh. It was funny...but at the same time it was really sad. How would Christian function without Gail?

"The russet potatoes." Anastasia answered. "They're the brown ones." She added, as he turned to leave.

A minute later, he came back empty-handed again and looking defeated.

"Five pounds or ten pounds? They also have them loose, but please don't make me pick."

Anastasia smiled encouragingly at him. "Why don't we go over together?"

She realized that her dominant husband might ooze confidence, but in some ways...even though small...he still needed her. She knew it was silly, but it made her feel more confident, knowing she had skills that her husband didn't. An instance so small made her see everything different. If this smart, headstrong man who dominated the business world didn't know the difference between potatoes...how many others lack every day skills like this one? What other things does he not know? He can't cook...but a lot of people can't. Can he do his own laundry? Does he know how to use an iron? Has he ever even taken the trash out? She decided to make it her mission to teach Christian how to live without all the hired help. She knew there was a fat chance he'd ever actually do so...but that didn't mean he couldn't learn how to be 'normal'. Maybe she could even convince him to clean the house sometime. She doubted that he realized just how tedious it could be. A picture of Christian scrubbing the bathtub wearing yellow gloves flashed in her mind and looked down to hide her amused smile.

XxXxXx

Once they had returned to the house, Anastasia saw Sawyer and Taylor sitting in the SUV waiting for them. She had called Sawyer on their way back, telling them she would be making them all lunch before they left for Seattle.

They pulled into the driveway and Christian looked at her.

"Don't you carry the groceries. We can handle them."

She cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

Anastasia watched as Christian opened the back of the vehicle and grabbed a bunch of bags, carrying them into the house with her father. She couldn't deny that she liked the look of him carrying in groceries. She loved domestic Christian. Once he was in the house she went towards the back and grabbed a few bags of groceries. There was no reason why she couldn't help them.

Once she had turned around, Taylor and Sawyer stood in front of her, keeping her from moving.

"I don't think so, Mrs. Grey. Let us carry them in." Taylor told her, holding out his hand. Sawyer stepped to the side and started to grab bags.

"Taylor...they're not even heavy...I'm sure-" She stopped suddenly when she saw his hard look mixed with his raised eyebrow.

"Holy shit. You've been spending too much time with Christian." She had seen that look many times...but never from Taylor.

Taylor's lips turned up into a smirk. "Give me the bags, Mrs. Grey."

She rolled her eyes, but handed them over. "I'm pregnant...not an invalid."

"Yes...you're pregnant, Mrs. Grey. You are already carrying something. Something much more important than..." He looked down and pulled out the first item, "a loofa on a stick?" He looked taken aback and confused.

Anastasia giggled. "Mr. Grey had a lot of fun in the clearance department. Would you like one of the six phone chargers he decided to buy at sixty percent off?"

Taylor couldn't contain his amused grin. "I'll keep that in mind if ever I find myself needing one."

"Anastasia! You better not be carrying anything!" Christian called, heading back outside to grab more bags.

"I tried...but Taylor and Sawyer stopped me. Evidently I'm incapable of carrying anything, but a handbag." Anastasia teased.

Christian grinned and kissed her temple. "Depending on the day, even your handbag might be too heavy."

She scowled. "Don't judge! I am a woman! I need to carry my things!"

"Like a full can of hairspray? An umbrella? How many pairs of sunglasses do you have in there now? I believe last time, I counted four." Christian retorted playfully as he grabbed bags. "If you hold anything more in that, we'll have to upgrade you to rolling luggage."

"Ha ha, Mr. Grey. You didn't mind my handbag when you needed fingernail clippers and a band aid for your hang nail!"

Christian winked at her as he turned and carried in another load of bags. Taylor grabbed the remaining bags and Anastasia closed the back hatch and followed them inside.

XxXxXx

Once Anastasia had gotten the lasagna and meatloaf into the oven to cook, she started to fill the sink for the dishes while she wiped off the counter. She had shooed the men out of the kitchen before she started, and they were now watching a game in the living room. She could hear her dad laughing from where she stood and she couldn't help but smile while her heart swelled. She was so happy that he got a little guy time while they were here. She knew Christian needed it, too.

She had just finished wiping the counter and bent over to throw the paper towel in the under-sink trash can when she felt hands on her hips. She straightened, startled by the action, before her mind caught up with her and she realized it was Christian. She leaned back into him and he encircled her waist with his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I really, r _eally_ like seeing you pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen, making food." He whispered in her ear.

She grinned and turned her head to the side, craning it to look at him. "I like being here...but I still like my career. On weekends, I suppose." She raised her chin another inch and he ducked his head to peck her lips.

"Let me do the dishes, baby. You've done enough." Christian urged.

Anastasia grinned. She wanted to tell him that she could do it, but she really wanted to watch him do the dishes.

"Alright. If you insist."

She hopped up on the counter to watch him while he washed.

"If you really are serious about moving Dad out to Seattle...I think we should ask him today. I really want him close." She said, watching him roll up his sleeves and take off his watch before diving into the dishes.

Christian gave her a small smile. "Of course I am serious. He's family. It'll be nice having him in Seattle. I'm sure my parents would love having him over for Sunday-Funday. "

She beamed. "I can't wait. I hope he says yes."

XxXxXx

"Daddy...Christian and I were talking...and we really want you to move to Seattle."

Ray, who was in mid-bite, stopped chewing. He took a swig from his beer bottle and gulped his half-chewed food and beer down.

"You mean you want me to move in with you?" He looked uncertain.

Anastasia shook her head. "No, we want you to move into your own house."

"Annie...what makes you think I can afford Seattle? I can't just move. I need a job."

"How does retiring early sound?" Christian mentioned.

Ray's eyes widened. "I...well, I...what...but.. _shit_. What would I do with all my free time? I don't know...I've worked since I was fourteen."

"I was kind of hoping...you'd make the furniture for the baby's room." Anastasia mentioned.

Ray's exhaled sharply. "Oh, Annie...really?"

She nodded. "Please, Daddy. I need you close to me. I want the baby to grow up close to you like I did."

Ray's lip trembled for a quick second, but he cleared his throat and took another sip of beer to hide his emotion. "I...I don't want to impose."

Anastasia looked at Christian and quirked an eyebrow.

"Ray...you are not imposing. I'd really like you in Seattle so that you can help with the remodel of the Sound house. I'd love for you and Elliot to work together." Anastasia was surprised by this, but she quickly realized it was a tactic to get Ray to come. "The house would mean so much more to us knowing our family did the remodel."

Ray eyed Christian and Anastasia; she stood up and sat in his lap, pouting and giving him sad, puppy-dog eyes.

"Shit, Annie. You know I can't say no to that." He sighed. "Fine."

Anastasia squealed and squeezed him around the neck. "Oh, I can't wait! Are you available next weekend to go house hunting?"

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia finished packing up their belongings and headed down the stairs to say goodbye to her father. She didn't want to leave him, but he had agreed to come to Seattle on Saturday to house hunt and so she'd be seeing him soon.

"The rest of the lasagna and the meatloaf are on the second shelf of the fridge and you've got those Birdseye Steamable's in the freezer to pop in the microwave as sides...make sure you eat them! There is milk in the door and orange juice for breakfast...the stuff to make sandwiches is in the deli drawer-"

"So...the food is in the fridge? Got it." Ray teased.

Anastasia giggled. "I'm sorry. I just miss taking care of you. I worry you eat too much take out." She hugged him.

"I'll be in Seattle soon and then, you'll be able to fret over me as much as you want."

She smiled up at her father. "I can't wait. I'll miss you." She hugged him once more. "I'll see you soon, though."

Ray kissed her temple. "Yes, I'll be there on Saturday."

Christian offered his hand and Ray shook it. "Thanks for having us, Ray. I'm sorry that it didn't turn out as well as planned. I've got Carla's room at the hotel booked for as long as she needs to find somewhere to move. I don't want her bothering you."

"Thank you for coming. I appreciate you doing that for Carla. I know what she said..." Ray shook his head. "I don't even want to think about it right now, but I'm glad you're giving her a place to stay because I don't know if I have it in me to let her stay here. I'll make sure she finds a place asap."

"Don't mention it." Christian told him.

Anastasia hurried away from them and down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Christian called.

"Pee break!"

Christian shook his head and laughed. "At least she realized it now instead of halfway to Seattle."

She hurried back into the living room and kissed her father on the cheek one last time before they headed to the car.

They climbed in the back of their new SUV with Taylor driving and Sawyer riding shotgun, and headed in the direction of Seattle.

Anastasia tried to get comfortable and sleep, but after a few minutes of fidgeting, she growled and sat up straight. She looked over at Christian and saw him grinning.

He opened his arms. "Come here, baby."

She smiled, unlatched her seat belt, and climbed over to his side. She slid her shoes off and placed her feet on her side while she curled up with him. Christian hit a lever and the back reclined halfway.

"Oh, yea. Much better." She mentioned, curling up against him and nuzzling into his neck.

He threw his jacket over her and kissed the top of her head. "Sleep, Ana."

She yawned. The pregnancy was sucking all of the energy out of her and it was a fight to stay awake during the day. She was glad that she had three hours to nap before dinner.

"You don't have to tell me twice. Goodnight Mr. Grey." Anastasia always found it easier to sleep when she was curled into Christian and was out within minutes.

 **A/N: I think for the next chapter, I am going to fast forward a little. Will it bother any of you if I do? Let me know what you think.**


	42. Chapter 41

**Pinterest: NineN3Quarters Lots of fun pictures of Ray's house for this one.**

It was now the middle of October and Anastasia's fourteen weeks along. Her father had been staying with them every weekend so that they could house hunt and he could help Elliot with various projects at the Sound house. They had seen over twenty houses and Anastasia found a problem with every one.

"Too small."

"Too big."

"Smells funny."

"It's ugly."

"The house next door is ugly."

"Not worth the price."

"Too many stairs."

"Hate the neighborhood."

"Not enough closet space."

The list went on and on. Christian had been pulling on his hair so much, he was surprised he had any hair left. He had to keep reminding himself that she was pregnant and it was her father that they were shopping for. He was secretly glad that he found the Sound house on his own.

"Okay, I really think I've found the perfect one this time." The realtor said, as they traveled together in her Mercedes over the bridge to Bellevue.

Anastasia and Christian were sitting in back while her father sat in front. She turned towards Christian and raised her eyebrow. This realtor, whose name was Sanjana, had said the same thing three times already.

Christian sighed deeply and looked out his window. Anastasia knew he was losing his patience with all this and she hoped that this next one was good enough for her father. He'd be in this house for the rest of his life and she wanted something that he could enjoy and relax in…especially since they were dropping millions on it. Her father had been completely patient with her and told her that he was happy with any one of the houses, so it was up to her to pick. She wished he would at least give some sort of opinion on the houses. He was unreadable. It was beyond frustrating.

Sanjana pulled up to a gate and punched in a number before they entered. A gated community…she liked that.

"We aren't far from my parents…they live a couple communities over." Christian mentioned.

"That's a good sign." Anastasia said, smiling. She loved his parents house.

They pulled into a driveway of a large dark, nautical blue house with clean lines and lots of windows.

"What do you think?" Sanjana asked, turning to look at Anastasia. Christian and Ray did the same.

"Looks nice." Anastasia nodded.

"Worth seeing more of?" Sanjana asked, hopeful.

"Absolutely."

"Halle-fuckin-lujah. Let's go." Christian released his seat belt and climbed out of the car.

When they entered the home, they were met by a nice sized entry way. To the right of the open floor plan was a dining room, to the left was an office, and straight ahead was large white kitchen that housed an island big enough to seat six. The counter tops along the wall sat up against a giant window looking out over the green landscape. There was a door to the left that opened into the patio where an outside kitchen could be seen. A stainless steel propane grill and small fridge were built into the surrounding white counter top that matched the indoor kitchen's top.

Anastasia immediately took the door and headed out onto the patio to look it over. She saw that on the other side there was a firepit with white chairs surrounding it and a putting green a little farther out. There were stairs that continued down past the putting green that went to a small dock on the water.

"Shit. We need one of those!" Christian mentioned, staring longingly at the putting green.

Anastasia turned to Ray and raised her eyebrows. "What do you think so far?"

Ray looked unsure and it confused her. "What do _you_ think, Annie?"

She realized then that her father didn't want to fall in love with a place that she was going to hate. She suddenly felt extremely guilty for complaining about all the others. This house though, was perfect so far.

"I love it."

Ray visibly relaxed. "Me too." He smiled at her.

"Great! Let me show you the rest of the house." Sanjana told them, escorting them back into the house.

She led them back through the door and to the right, where they found a nice sized living room with gas fireplace. Even though the home didn't have vaulted ceilings like Anastasia had hoped, it still felt very open and light with all of the light colors and big windows.

Sanjana led them back into the kitchen and showed them the bathroom before they headed up the stairs into the second story. The master bedroom was huge with french doors and a deck off the back. The master bath housed a separate shower and bath and the same white counters from the kitchen were used. There were three other bedrooms, each with their own baths, and another large sitting room/family room that sat above the three car garage. **(Please look on Pinterest to see pictures and floor plan of house)**

"What do you think, Annie?" Ray asked, hopeful.

"I love this. I want to live here." Anastasia said, smiling. "What do you think, Daddy?"

He nodded. "I love it, too. The three car garage is big enough to be turned into a workshop for my furniture making."

She nodded. "Yes. I love it all. Christian?" She looked up at Christian, hoping that he loved it as much as they did.

They watched him rub his pointer finger over his lip as he was deep in thought. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes. I like it, too."

Christian turned to Sanjana. "Let's talk numbers."

"Well, Mr. Grey...the property is 4.2 million."

"Holy shit!" Ray bent over as if he was kicked in the gut. "There's no way!"

Christian ignored his father in law. "We'll put in for 3.6 cash."

"But, Mr. Grey...I would advise you to offer the full amount...this property is newly listed and it's in a very sought after region. There is high probability that someone else will offer the full 4.2."

Christian shook his head. "There is also a high probability that no one else will come with an all cash offer. Cash speaks, Miss Sandeep. Draw up the paper work. We want in this house asap." He knew that it would be months for the owners to be rid of the house if they had to wait on bank loans. An all cash offer was quick and painless and if they agreed, Ray would be moved in by next weekend.

"Mr. Grey...I don't think you are aware-"

"Miss Sandeep... I am extremely aware of how to conduct a business transaction! I assure you that I did not build my empire by being ignorant. It's as if you are trying to lose a client. Do as I say or we will take our business elsewhere...but I promise to leave you with well wishes. I'm sure that once the word gets out that you lost a Grey as your client, you'll be needing them." Christian growled, annoyed.

"Yes, sir. Follow me to the kitchen and we'll use my laptop."

Two hours and multiple phone calls later, the owners and Christian agreed to 3.9 million, but everything in the house stays. They would meet at U.S. Bank on Wednesday and complete the transaction then.

Anastasia and Christian both noticed that her father was extremely quiet on their way back to Escala.

"Let's have a toast to celebrate Ray's new property!" Christian stated, looking through the wine fridge. Anastasia pulled off her heels before climbing onto the bar stool at the counter and Ray sat next to her.

"Water for the wife," Christian stated, setting down her ice water that he put in a wine glass for her, "Whiskey for the father-in-law," he handed the crystal tumbler to Ray, "And white wine for me. Cheers!" They raised their glasses and tinked them together.

"I really appreciate this gift you have given me...but it has me in knots. It's so much money, son. Are you sure you want to put it in my name? Why don't you keep it in yours?" Ray looked pale and apprehensive.

Christian, who was standing on the opposite side of the island from the other two, leaned on his elbows to look at Ray. "This is your house, Ray. Not ours. We are more than happy to do this for you and I don't want you to worry about the cost. You being here for Ana...for the baby...hell! Even for me...you can't put a price on that. Getting you a house so that you can be close to us is just us being selfish, really." Christian smiled at Ray. "We would do anything to have you here. The baby deserves to grow up with his or her grandfather around. My grandfather...Theodore Trevelyan...he was one of my idols. I looked up to him more than I looked up to my own father. He was the hardest working man I have ever known...and he passed away early of a heart attack. He refused to retire and the doctors said it was work related stress that did it. He refused to retire from working on his orchard...I can't sit here and watch the same thing happen to you. You work just as hard as he did. I lost my grandfather when I was eighteen and I would hate to lose you the same way. I want you to be in Seattle, enjoying life, and spoiling your grandbaby. Anastasia has already forbade me from spoiling them...so someone's got to do it."

Ray stared down at his glass, grinning. "I appreciate that, Christian. You and Annie are my kids...I hate that I can't take care of you."

"Oh, Daddy. You've taken care of me since I was two. You still do...just not financially. Let us take care of you now. We want to do this. Like Christian said...it's really for selfish reasons. We want you here." Anastasia took Ray's hand and squeezed it.

"Why so much money for the house though? Couldn't you have put me in a normal house somewhere? It's just so much..."

Christian sighed. "It isn't much for us. If you're worried about the price, don't be. I make that much in one week..." Ray's eyes widened in realization.

Anastasia was glad that Christian gave him a more concrete way of looking at it. Sure, Christian was a billionaire...but most people can't really grasp just how much money that truly was. She still had trouble grasping it herself. It should be illegal to have so much money. She was glad that he gave so much to so many charities, because it made her feel guilty most of the time.

"You'll be in this house for a long time. I want it to last. I want you to be in a house that can be your own oasis of sorts...especially if you're planning on working with Elliot after the Sound house is done. I also want it to be a place where I feel safe sending my wife and child. This house is in a good neighborhood and has sufficient privacy. Once the inspection comes through on Tuesday, we'll know if it's a completely safe place to live and breathe. With it being so wet here, I worry about mold. If everything comes back okay, then I'll make sure to have a locksmith come out and replace the locks on Saturday while we move everything in. You never know who has keys to this house."

Anastasia grinned at her husband. He really does always think of everything. She would have never thought to change the keys. She felt a sense of pride for Christian. His number one goal in life was keeping everyone he cared about safe...and he did a mighty fine job of doing it.

XxXxXx

"I hate having to be quiet." Christian mentioned as he lay on top of Anastasia in mid-shag, trying to keep his thrusting slow and steady.

"We have to talk about this now?" Anastasia asked, frustrated. Her father had stayed with them so that he could be there on Wednesday for the house closing.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the present; her father was not a subject that should ever be brought up in bed.

"I want to make you scream." Christian pouted, moving his hips faster.

Anastasia moaned loudly. "Shit...just...one more week." She answered. It took every ounce of her concentration to form a coherent sentence.

Christian pushed himself off of her and sat up, grabbing both of her legs under her bent knees, pushing them up which forced her to open farther while he continued to thrust.

"Oh, Christian! Mmm, yes...just like that!" She urged, gripping the sheets on either side of her. She threw her head back and bit her lip, keeping herself from screaming.

"You. Look. So. Sexy." Christian growled through clenched teeth, thrusting hard with each word.

She whimpered. "Christian...so close..." She reached for his hand and he gripped both of her hands in his, holding onto her stomach with the other.

"Me too, baby. Let me feel you." He held onto her hands and kept his steady pace.

Once they both found their releases as quiet as they could, they both took a few minutes to calm their panting before Christian moved.

He slipped out of her and leaned down, kissing her stomach. "I love this bump."

"It's huge, already." Anastasia complained. "I'm going to look like beached whale by the time I have this baby."

Christian rolled her eyes and laid down next to her on his side, placing a hand on her stomach. "You are not going to look like a beached whale. You are going to look incredible."

Anastasia chewed her lip. "You aren't going to be disgusted by my appearance? I'm scared I'm going to gain all this weight and you're going to go running for the hills."

Christian leaned up on his elbow, angry. "You'd think I would do that? You are carrying my _child,_ Anastasia! Did I ever give you the impression that I was that shallow? If anything, I'll love you even more...because there is more of you...and it'll all be mine."

Anastasia looked up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Christian. No, you've never given me that impression. It's my own insecurities."

He sighed and laid his head on her chest, placing his arm and leg over her. "I hate that you are insecure, baby. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I'll never stop loving you or finding you completely sexy. If you're bigger, then there's just more for me. As long as you are healthy and happy, I will love you just as much as I ever have...probably even more." He teased lightly at the end.

She giggled and ran her hand through his hair. "I'll try to be more positive."

He turned his head and kissed her clavicle. "Good."

It was quiet for a moment, and Anastasia was almost asleep, when Christian spoke again.

"This week is going to be very busy, Ana. With your yoga, our doctor's appointment, the house closing, getting your father moved in, and then the gender reveal on Sunday..."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"I would like you to take Thursday and Friday off work to rest."

"Oh, lord. Christian...don't you think you're going a little overboard?"

"I just worry about all the stress...and this weekend will be so busy and you'll be on your feet..."

"Oh...so you're saying you're going to actually let me help move my father in?" Anastasia already knew the answer to this. Christian had wanted to get a moving crew to do it, but her father refused, stating that they were spending too much already. Instead, Ray recruited Jose, Jose Sr., Ethan, Elliot, and Christian to help. Jose and his father would be staying with Ray on Saturday night so they could come to the gender reveal.

"You'll be supervising." Christian answered after a pause.

"So, I'll get to tell you all what to do and where everything goes?" Anastasia asked. She liked the sound of that.

Christian grinned. "Yes."

"Hmm...I can deal with that."

He chuckled. "I had a feeling you could. Now...will you take of Thursday and Friday to rest?"

"I'm a big girl, Christian! I can handle it!"

"But baby Grey isn't big. Putting stress on you, puts stress on the baby and I won't be able to concentrate with having to worry about you." Christian rubbed her stomach.

Anastasia sighed. She knew he'd worry either way. "I'll take off Friday."

Christian let out a relieved sigh. "Deal."

They had to be up at 4:00 am to head to Portland on Saturday anyway, so taking of Friday didn't sound half bad to her.

XxXxXx

"You are now fourteen weeks, which means you are officially in your second trimester. How is your nausea?" Dr. Greene asked.

"Nausea is nearly gone. It's only when my nose smells something it doesn't like, that I get queasy." Anastasia answered.

The doctor nodded. "That's normal. How about your drowsiness?"

"I still find myself tired around three, but I've learned if I take a walk that it wakes me up enough. I'm always in bed early though."

"Making a human being is exhausting work, Anastasia. I'm not surprised. Enjoy your sleep now...it might be hard for you to find a comfortable position in the third trimester."

"I feel like I'm huge for fourteen weeks." Anastasia said, frowning.

Dr. Greene smiled. "Everyone grows at different rates, Anastasia. You are a healthy weight and your labs and vitals look fine. Don't dwell on it too much. Enjoy it."

Anastasia nodded.

"Let's have a look at the baby on the 3D ultrasound and then I will answer any further questions after. You two are wanting to know the sex of the baby?" Dr. Greene asked.

"We're actually going to be doing a gender reveal this Sunday. We've brought our friends here to find out what the baby is...Christian...will you go get them?"

Anastasia and Christian had decided to let Gail and Taylor keep the secret. Gail and Taylor were two of the most trustworthy people they knew and they wanted to share this day with them.

Christian returned quickly with Taylor and Gail and Dr. Greene turned the light out so they could start the ultrasound. Anastasia laid back and unbuttoned the top button of her jeans and shimmed them down a little while the doctor readied the machine.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Greene asked.

Anastasia nodded and pulled up her shirt, showing her bump.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Gail gushed, next to Taylor. She took his hand and squeezed it.

Dr. Greene started with the head and did her best to stay away from the legs the best she could for the first part.

"Okay, I'll need you and Christian to turn your heads away from the screen." Dr. Greene announced, once she looked over everything above the waist.

They both turned their heads and looked at Taylor and Gail. Anastasia kept her eyes on Gail, secretly hoping she'd give something away.

"I'm not sure if I can handle not knowing for the rest of the week..." Christian said, sounding a bit grumpy.

"Oh, please, Christian? It'll be fun finding out on Sunday with the rest of the family..." Anastasia reached out and took his hand.

He hmphed. "Fine."

"Alright...let's see here..." The doctor kept moving the wand around on Anastasia's stomach. "This baby does not want us to know what he or she is! Hmm...let me try it from this position..." She moved the wand again.

Gail suddenly gasped and covered her mouth. Anastasia saw her get teary eyed.

"Yes, here we go. It's very easy to tell with these 3D images. Do you see?" Dr. Greene asked, looking at Taylor and Gail.

They both nodded.

"Should I write it down?"

Gail laughed. "I don't think we're going to forget...oh, this is going to be so much fun! I can't wait until this baby comes!"

Anastasia now wished she knew the sex of the baby. Since Gail reacted so suddenly, she thought it was a boy...but then with that remark, it sounded like she was happy to have another girl in the house. Sunday could not come fast enough.

"Alright...legs look good...feet look normal. I'm going to make a DVD for you."

Christian smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"Gail and I will keep it until Sunday, Mr. Grey." Taylor told him, making him frown.

Anastasia giggled. "You aren't going to find out that easy!"

XxXxXx

"Nice to see you all, again." Sanjana, their realtor, smiled, shaking all of their hands. "Mr. Grey...I wanted to speak to you about the inspection last night. I know that the inspector stated that the water heater was cracked and needed to be replaced...I spoke to the owner and told her that we could push back the date and she could fix it by putting a more energy efficient, tankless water system in or we continue to sign today and she would be responsible for the closing costs. She agreed to to pay the closing costs minus your homeowners insurance premium."

Christian smiled and shook Sanjana's hand again. "I might have underestimated your negotiation skills, Miss Sandeep. I'll be sure to recommend your services to anyone, in the future."

There was a knock on the door and a man and a woman walked in.

"Good evening, Travis...Miss Montgomery! This is Christian and Anastasia Grey and Raymond Steele."

"Hello, I'm Travis Maxwell, Miss Montgomery's realtor. This is Bella Montgomery, the current owner." The man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes greeted.

They shook hands and Anastasia noticed Bella's hand seemed to be clutching Christian's hand a little too tight and she was staring just a little too long.

"Is there a problem, Miss Montgomery?" Christian asked, raising an eyebrow. His hand was loose in hers, ready to release, but she wouldn't let go.

She blinked up at him and grinned. "Not a thing, Mr. Grey. It's a pleasure meeting you."

Anastasia cleared her throat and Bella dropped her hand and turned to look at her. Her eyes looked up and down Anastasia's body, sizing her up and her eyes settled on her swollen stomach.

"Hello, I'm Anastasia Grey...Mr. Grey's wife." Anastasia's eyebrow raised, her eyes hard, challenging the woman.

Bella looked down at her feet and Christian chuckled lightly and placed his hand on the small of her back. "Let's have a seat and get started."

Through the closing, Anastasia sat back in her chair and watched Bella keep sneaking glances at her husband. Anastasia reached up and played with the hair on the back of his neck, staking claim to her husband. Christian continued to speak to the realtors, but his hand wandered down absentmindedly to rub her stomach. Bella's eyes followed his hand before they climbed up to meet Anastasia's. Bella frowned at Anastasia and Anastasia gave her a smug grin back.

"Miss Montgomery? Are you ready to sign?" Travis asked. Bella's eyes didn't move from Anastasia's.

"Miss Montgomery?"

Her head shot to the side, looking at her realtor. "Huh?"

"Are you ready to sign?" He asked again, holding a pen out to her.

"Oh, yes. Right." Bella nodded, taking the pen.

Once they initialed and signed their lives away, the notary stamped the documents and they were finished.

They all stood and began to shake hands. Bella shook Ray's first and then Christian's, batting her eyes again and smiling at him. She didn't receive a smile back. She shook Anastasia's hand and shot her a look, so Anastasia gripped her hand tighter.

"Miss Montgomery." Anastasia clipped, meeting her eyes.

"Mrs. Grey."

The women remained connected by the hand and the eye, but Anastasia refused to retreat first. Her eyebrow raised slightly, showing she wasn't going to back down and Bella exhaled deeply and looked away, pulling her hand away.

"Are you ready, baby?" Christian asked, looking amused.

Anastasia looked up at him and back to Bella for a second before her gaze returned to his. "Yes."

Once they were in the car, Ray started laughing. "What the hell was that?"

Anastasia giggled. "I believe it was the female version of a pissing contest..."

Christian chuckled. "One that my baby won."

"Damn right...acting like that with you...she couldn't keep her eyes off of you..." Anastasia answered. "Little bitch." She added, under her breath.

"You can't tell me you were threatened by her?" Ray asked, disbelieving.

"Not at all. The bitch just needed to know her place. Who gave her permission to eyefuck my husband?"

Ray barked out a laugh and Christian grinned, reaching over to grab her hand.

"My little girl has such a mouth since being pregnant..." Ray teased.

"Christian is mine. It is incredibly rude and disrespectful to act like that in front of a man's pregnant wife."

Christian brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "All yours, baby. Don't let her get to you. It's over. We'll never see her again."

Anastasia sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."

XxXxXx

"Set it down gently, right there." Anastasia instructed, pointing to a spot on the floor. It was Saturday afternoon and the men were unloading the truck that they loaded earlier that morning.

"Yes, mein fuhrer!" Jose commented, placing the box of portraits down on the living room floor.

Ethan snorted, hearing Jose's comment as he came in with a box. He started to set it down next to the other one.

"No! That doesn't go here! Upstairs in the master bedroom!" Anastasia barked.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "No need to get snappy! How was I supposed to know?"

"Read the box Ethan Andrew! Can't you read?" Anastasia huffed.

They had only been unloading for a half an hour, but Anastasia already wanted to strangle her friends. They spent most of their time goofing off and not paying attention than doing their job. She was tired and hungry and just wanted to get it over with.

Jose Sr. came in with a box labeled 'bathroom' and set it down next to the other boxes.

"Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez." Anastasia stated, smiling at him.

"Wait...why aren't you yelling at him?" Jose asked, incredulously.

"Because he's brought in three times as many boxes as you two have!" Anastasia bent down and started to pull the heavy box across the room.

"What are you doing?" Ethan asked. "Let me get it."

"You've got your box to take upstairs still." Anastasia answered, pulling.

"Let me take it, Ana." Jose told her, stepping towards her.

"No. I'm mad at you."

"Ana...come on. You shouldn't be straining."

"Go get another box."

"Give me the box, Ana."

Anastasia stood in front of the box. "No."

"You're acting like a child."

She crossed her arms and stood.

"Don't make me remove you from the living room." Jose warned.

"Excuse me?"

Jose grabbed her and picked her up, carrying her under her legs and back.

"Put me down! Where are you taking me?" Anastasia squealed, squirming.

"To your husband. He can deal with you."

He found Christian in the kitchen and Christian watched her squirming. "What the fuck is going on?"

Jose stood in front of him. "Here." He handed her over to Christian's arms. "You can deal with her."

"What happened?" Christian asked, looking confused by why he was now carrying his wife.

"She's trying to move boxes...and she's being childish." Jose answered before turning back to the living room.

Anastasia glared after him.

Christian set her on the counter. "Why are you trying to move boxes?"

"Because Jose and Ethan are pissing me off."

"Are you hungry?" Christian asked, knowing she got irritable when she hadn't eaten and her blood sugar was low.

Anastasia sighed. "Maybe."

"Why don't you order us a bunch of pizzas?" Christian asked gently, hoping not to anger her more.

She nodded. "Fine. Will you please make sure they're taking the boxes to the right rooms? I can't put things away if the boxes aren't there."

Christian kissed her. "I'll take care of it." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Now, order us some pizzas woman. I'm hungry."

She snatched the phone away from him with a playful growl.

"And don't order any of that ham and pineapple shit either." He added, on his way towards the living room to sort out the boxes.

"Fifteen Hawaiian pizzas it is..." Anastasia retorted.

Christian looked over his shoulder, scowling, making Anastasia laugh.

 **A/N: About my other story Mine Now. So far, I have decided to do the bonus playroom scene in CG's POV. I haven't decided about doing the week from Anastasia's POV or doing a sequel. If I decide to do her POV, I will continue under the same story. If I decide to continue on, I will start a new story, but I will make a note of it in the Mine Now so you know what it is called and how to find it.**

 **Next Up: Gender Reveal and maybe some drama! I won't necessarily be going with the book on the baby thing. Are you Team Lashes or Team Staches? What gender should the baby be?**


	43. Chapter 42

**A/N: Shout out to my Sanjana as always...She's basically helping my write this ff... and a shout out to Reds 77 for letting me ask her a couple questions! Hope you enjoy this chapter and that it meets your expectations! I'm extremely nervous about this one!**

 **Pinterest NineN3Quarters DON'T LOOK UNTIL YOU READ...unless you want spoilers. :)**

"Okay...I'm dressed! Are you ready?" Anastasia yelled, through the bathroom door.

It was the day of the gender reveal and Gail and Taylor had been working hard with Grace, Mia, and Kate to get everything set up in the other room. Everyone was wearing the color of their guess for the baby; blue for a boy and pink for a girl. Anastasia and Christian had purposely kept their guesses a secret so they'd be surprised when they saw one another.

"Yes. Come on out, baby."

She opened the door and saw that Christian was standing there in a pink button down and khaki pants. She laughed. She had a feeling he'd want a girl.

"A boy?" Christian asked her. "You want a boy?" He scoffed. She was wearing a dark blue lace dress that had a bow tied below her bust to accentuate her bump.

"Yes! I want a mini-Christian." Anastasia grinned coming up to kiss him. "What's your reason?"

"I want my tiny princess." He answered, causing Anastasia to get emotional.

"Oh, Christian. That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She pulled him back down to her for another kiss.

"You look beautiful, baby. Shall we see how the others are coming along?" He asked, sliding on his platinum Rolex.

Anastasia watched as his nimble fingers worked to roll his sleeves up his forearms, forcing her hormones into overdrive. How could forearms look so sexy?

She sighed. "I guess."

Christian chuckled. "Later, baby. Let's go find out if I'm right, first." He said, pulling on the front of his shirt.

When they headed out of the bedroom to finally greet the others, they were greeted by Mia's scream and her throwing herself into Anastasia, almost knocking her over as she hugged her.

"Oof!" Anastasia's air was knocked out of her as Mia collided.

"Easy!" Christian barked, throwing an arm behind Anastasia to steady her.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm just so excited to see you and my future niece or nephew! Hopefully niece!" Mia said, winking at Anastasia. Mia was wearing a hot pink fit and flare with sparkly silver sky high heels.

Mia had been so excited about the news. Anastasia and Christian had called her with the announcement and she spent a full five minutes screaming and carrying on before she settled down enough for them to tell her details. She had called Anastasia every day since, asking her how everything was coming along and had even made Anastasia put the phone to her stomach a few times so she could talk to the baby...even though Anastasia didn't think the baby could even hear her.

Mia put her hands on Anastasia's stomach. "Aren't you the cutest little pregnant lady? Carrying my niece like a champ!"

Anastasia laughed. "Thanks, Mia...but I'm rooting for a boy."

Grace came up behind Mia, smiling. "Okay, Mia. You've hogged her enough. I want to say hello to my grandbaby."

Mia released Anastasia and pulled Christian in for a hug. "Team Lashes unite!"

Grace rolled her eyes. She was wearing a navy blue cardigan with gray slacks.

"How's my grandbaby doing?" She asked, placing her hands on Anastasia's stomach. "I swear you've grown more this week!"

Anastasia smiled. "I swear I grow more each day."

"So, you're Team Staches, too?" Grace asked.

"Yes. I want a mini-Christian."

Grace grinned. "Me too."

Anastasia noticed Kate was in pink as she hugged her.

"How's it going?" Kate asked, rubbing her stomach.

"It's going."

"Feel like a petting zoo, yet?"

Anastasia laughed. "Yes. Ever since I popped a couple weeks ago, people think they have free reign over my stomach. So far, I've had two old ladies, a small child and a creepy old man that Christian shoo'd away, try to rub my stomach."

Kate giggled. "I'm sure Christian didn't take that well."

She shook her head. "No, not at all." She looked around their apartment. "Wow. You guys have been working hard while we've been hidden away. This all looks great."

"Come look at this cake...it's so cute." Anastasia followed Kate into the kitchen and she noticed that Gail was in pink, but Taylor was in blue. She cocked an eyebrow at Gail.

"Aren't going to give anything away are you?"

Gail smiled and shook her head. "Nope. These were our guesses before we found out."

Anastasia looked down at the cake. It was a round, white cake with navy blue polka dots. The top said 'Staches or Lashes? Which will it be? Soon you'll see!' There was a picture of lashes and a mustache. Anastasia eyed around the edges of the cake, looking for some sort of color sticking out.

"Nuh uh uh, Ana!" Gail admonished. "You won't find any spots I've missed. I just heard the elevator...go say hello to your guests." She commanded, grabbing Anastasia by her arms and steering her toward the main room.

When Anastasia made her way around to the great room, she saw that it was already full of people.

"How long was I in there?" Anastasia joked, coming up to Mia.

Everyone was talking amongst themselves and Anastasia took the time to take inventory. Her father, Carrick, Logan, and Jose Sr. were all in pink. Ethan, Elliot, Sawyer and Jose were all in blue. Christian's grandmother was in pink and was the first to spot her.

"Oh, Anastasia! Aren't you the most precious thing there ever was!" Grandma Trevelyan came hurrying over with both hands out. Anastasia let her rub her stomach.

"Oh, my…I was thinking girl, but you are showing so much, I'm wondering if you're carrying a football player…"

"I'd be okay with that." Anastasia answered, smiling.

Elliot came up behind his grandmother, grinning. "Okay, Grandmother…don't suffocate the woman!"

He pulled Anastasia in for a hug. "My favorite sister-in-law!"

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Come for the food, El?" She had gotten much more comfortable with Elliot since she found out she was pregnant and had started to actually enjoy their little banter.

"Don't let my love for food fool you, Ana…I'm only here for the sex!" Elliot cupped a hand around the side of his mouth, in mock whisper and winked.

Anastasia laughed. "As much as I'd hate to agree with that terrible statement…I can't deny that that's why I'm here, too."

"Isn't that a tad inappropriate?" Christian's voice growled behind Anastasia, making her jump. He put his arm around her and pulled her against him.

"Ew, bro. Get your head out of the gutter! That's disgusting...she's my sister now." Elliot retorted, grimacing dramatically at the thought.

The elevator ping'd again and Anastasia saw Ros and Gwen entering. She had only met Gwen once at the wedding, but Anastasia liked her immediately. Both of the women were wearing pink.

"Of course you'd want a girl!" Christian teased, reaching out to shake their hands.

"Of course, C! Males are overrated! There's no need for them!" Ros teased as she leaned into hug Anastasia.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Red, but the human race is dependent on males." Christian retorted.

"Ah…so you're admitting you're only good for breeding stock?" Ros asked, giving a sly grin.

"That and paying for your overly-flamboyant lifestyle!"

"I like flamboyant…and I believe you wouldn't have all that money to spend on payroll of it wasn't for me!"

Anastasia watched them go back and forth and giggled. She enjoyed watching them bicker. Christian seemed so normal when he was with Ros.

"They never stop, do they?" Gwen asked, smiling at Anastasia.

Anastasia shook her head. "Afraid not. Thank you for coming! I'm glad you could make it." She leaned in and gave Gwen a hug.

"Thank you for inviting us. Ros is just tickled to death about Christian having a child. She wants a girl so she can watch him pull his hair out worrying over every tiny thing. Evidently, he's extremely protective?"

Anastasia nodded. "Extremely. If we have a girl-"

"When…!" Christian cut in, surprising Anastasia. She wasn't aware he was open to having more children. Hopefully not anytime soon.

Anastasia sighed. "When we have a girl, her feet probably won't touch the ground until high school and I'll have to drug him with muscle relaxers the first time she brings home a boy."

"Oh, she's not bringing home a boy!" Christian answered.

Ros grinned. "A girl then?"

"No! She'll become a nun."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Christian…you're Lutheran."

He shrugged. "Eh! Details."

Gwen laughed. "Just a tiny one."

"Christian…I've been here for longer than five minutes and have yet to be offered a drink. What type of host are you?" Ros clipped, crossing her arms.

Christian's mouth twitched, trying to keep the grin off of his face. "The kind that is aware of your capability of drinking your weight in wine. I'm sure Gwen doesn't want to carry you home."

Anastasia smacked his arm. "Be nice. They just live an elevator ride away. I'm sorry, Ros. We're not really hosting…but I'll be more than happy to get you something-"

"No, you won't. The girls gave you strict orders to enjoy the party, Anastasia. I'll go find Mia and make her serve the drinks." Christian said, grinning wickedly at Anastasia. She had to admit…the thought of Mia having to carry around bottles, refilling cups was rather satisfying.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" Grace called out, standing on top of a chair while she clinked her champagne glass with her ring. "Mia, Kate, Gail, and I want to thank all of you for coming today to share this very special time with all of us! I won't talk long, because it makes me emotional...but I just wanted to say how proud I am of Christian and Ana and how much I love them and this baby. These two have been through so much in their short lives and I know that they're going to be the best of parents! I can't wait to see my baby boy holding his baby for the first time..." Grace's chin trembled and she cleared her throat. "Okay, now I have to stop. Please stop by the kitchen counter to get your drink of choice and have a seat at one of the tables in the great room so we can have lunch. While we have lunch, we'll pass out clothes pins for everyone to attach to their clothes. If you catch someone saying the word 'baby' you get to take it from them. The one who has the most at the end of the day, gets a pair of Mariner tickets for the next season!"

Elliot and Ethan's eyes lit up and they gave each other wicked grins.

"They're going to kill each other, aren't they?" Mia asked while everyone filed into the kitchen for drinks.

Anastasia laughed. "Probably."

Christian snorted. "There will be bloodshed. But I will win."

Mia scoffed. "Not you, too! You'll have a baby to take care of!"

Christian frowned, suddenly looking deflated.

Anastasia turned toward him and grabbed his face, pulling him down for a kiss. "Don't you listen to her. You win those tickets. Take Elliot and have fun."

Christian's smile reappeared and Anastasia kissed him again. "That's better."

XxXxXx

After lunch, Kate and Mia announced that they had a surprise for Anastasia. They made her sit in the middle of the room while everyone was still seated at the tables. They took a few steps away from Anastasia and stood next to each other, putting their heads down with their hands on their hips. Anastasia thought that had gone completely mental until 'Push It' from Salt and Peppa started to blare through the surround sound. Kate and Mia started to dance to the music and Anastasia realized they had a whole routine planned out. Every time the word 'baby' came up, they pointed to her stomach and and every time it said 'push it' they grabbed their stomachs and pretended to be in labor. Anastasia sat there red faced and hiding behind her hands while she giggled uncontrollably. The girls seemed to have everyone else in tears, too.

Once they ended their routine with a final dramatic pose, everyone whistled and clapped and the girls bowed.

"If you want an encore in April, just let us know! We'd be perfect coaches!" Kate said, teasing.

Anastasia laughed and shook her head. "If I have to witness that again, I'll have no choice, but to become homicidal and I'd really like to watch my child grow up."

Mia pouted. "You wound us, sister!"

Anastasia wiped at her wet eyes from laughing. "You girls are the best. Thank you!" She stood up to hug them both.

"Alright, alright...enough of the hugging! Let's get to the sex!" Elliot called from the table.

"Elliot Trevelyan Grey!" Grace admonished. "Don't be so crass!" He cowered lower into his seat at the look of her scowl. "Mia and Kate will refill your drinks while Gail and I bring in the cake."

Christian met Anastasia in front and she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him hard. "I'm so excited!" She squealed, making Christian laugh.

"Me too, baby."

Anastasia grinned and put her hand out, palm up.

"What?"

"You said the B word. I want that clothes pin, Mr. Grey."

"Damn it! But I didn't say it about that one!" He poked her stomach.

"She didn't say it only referred to this one! She just said if you use the word!" Anastasia put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot.

Christian scowled at her for a moment and then threw his hands up. "Fine!"

"Thank you, love." She giggled, taking it from him and clipping it next to her other one.

"You're lucky I love you." He grumbled.

"I am pretty lucky, aren't I?" Anastasia smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He grinned and leaned down to press his forehead against hers. "I'm the lucky one, Mrs. Grey." He said quietly.

"Are you going to kiss me, yet?" She whispered.

He gave her a small nod against her forehead. "I am."

"Alright, alright...there's time for that later!" Grace interrupted, rolling in the cake with Gail on a rolling table.

They untangled themselves from each other and stood, looking at the cake.

Anastasia took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves and noticed Christian doing the same thing. She watched as Gail picked up the large cake cutting knife and she handed it to her. Christian came around and stood behind her, covering her small hand in his to help her cut the cake.

"Okay! Is everyone ready?" Grace asked. "Alright kids, go ahead! Make sure to keep the side so we can see!"

He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her stomach. "Ready?" He asked.

Anastasia nodded.

He guided their hands over to the cake and pressed down. Anastasia's breath caught in her throat as he raised the knife and cut the other side. They set the knife down and Anastasia grabbed the cake server to pull the first piece out. As she placed it on the plate, both of their eyes furrowed in confusion.

There was a line of pink, a line of white, and a line of blue.

Christian shook his head, annoyed. "What the fuck? What is it?"

Gail smiled. "It's both."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "Wha..?" Her breath caught in her throat and she looked up at Christian. He was still confused.

"What do you mean both? How could one baby...?" His eyes widened. "Twins?!"

Everyone started clapping and yelling, but Christian was pale and looked like he was going to faint. He bent over and grabbed the edge of the table.

"Christian!" Grace yelled, worried. "We need a chair!"

"Christian, baby...are you alright?" Anastasia squeezed his shoulder, but he didn't answer her. He kept blinking and sputtering out words.

"I...buh...why...how..wha?" Christian's eyes glazed over and Anastasia grabbed his elbow, worried he was going to fall.

Taylor brought a chair and Grace and Anastasia eased him into it. Anastasia bent over to look at him and cupped his face.

"Christian...Christian! Look at me..."

He blinked up at her, his face white as a ghost.

"Ana?"

She gave him a small smile and nodded. He looped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap, burying his face in her neck.

"Two?" He asked against her skin.

"Yes." She answered. Her heart jumped into her throat. _Holy shit._ They were having twins. She was so worried about Christian, it didn't occur to her until now that there was more than one.

Suddenly, Christian laughed and picked his head up, grinning at her. "I told you I had super sperm."

"Christian!" Anastasia's mouth dropped and she smacked his shoulder.

"What'd he say?" Grace asked, confused.

"Nothing!" Anastasia answered, embarrassed.

Christian chuckled and kissed her lips.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." He told Anastasia, before turning and apologizing to his mother, too.

"So, you're okay?" Anastasia asked, still worried.

He nodded. "I'm okay. Just shocked. That was the last thing I expected."

He turned towards everyone and smiled. "We're having twins!" He said loudly, making everyone clap and cheer again.

"Can we come hug you now?!" Kate asked, getting antsy.

Anastasia giggled and stood up. "Yes."

Everyone rushed over to congratulate the couple.

"I'm going to have two grandbabies?" Ray asked, squeezing Anastasia to him.

"Seems that way." Anastasia answered, smiling up at him.

"Just when I think we couldn't be any more blessed..." Ray said, shaking his head and grinning. "Now I'll have two fishing buddies."

She laughed. "Fishing? Is that why I'm having these children? So you can catch more fish for your annual fish fry?"

He nodded. "Pretty much."

"We get a little Christian and a little Ana, now!" Grace mentioned, hugging Christian. "These children are going to be so spoiled! I can't wait to get started on the nursery!"

Christian's brow creased. "What? Nursery?"

Grace nodded. "Yes, nursery! You didn't honestly think I wouldn't make a nursery at my house? Where are you going to put them down for a nap on Sundays or when they spend the night?"

Ray agreed. "I'll make one at my house, too. I want you all to feel at home when you come."

"Damn. Our kids have more bedrooms than we do! And they still have 25 weeks to go before they're even here."

Anastasia groaned. "I'm going to be as big as a house by then." She hid her face in Ray's pink shirt. "Am I even going to be able to walk?"

Grace laughed lightly. "Don't worry, Ana. You'll look beautiful. You might have to waddle, but I'm sure you'll walk just fine."

Anastasia's face turned bright pink. "Oh my god. I'll be waddling!"

"Don't worry, Sis. I'll be right behind you quacking the whole time!" Elliot cheeked.

Anastasia scowled. "You do and you die!"

"So many death threats today!" Elliot retorted. "It's like you don't love your siblings!"

Anastasia scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Mature." Elliot retorted, making her laugh.

"Who's ready for another game?!" Gail called loudly, trying to get the noise in the room to settle down. The lack of fabric in the large apartment was making it sound like a gymnasium during a basketball game with everyone talking and yelling.

"I'm going to go use the restroom while everyone gets the game started." Anastasia told Christian. She needed to go into the bedroom and get her phone.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Christian asked, concerned.

Anastasia laughed. "No, Christian. I'm pregnant and I have to pee. I pretty much have it covered. Thank you, though."

Christian smiled. "Alright...if you don't need me to hold your dress up..."

She rolled her eyes and made her way towards their bedroom.

Once she had used the restroom and washed her hands, she headed into their closet and dug in her purse for her blackberry. Her heart was thumping out of her chest, but in a moment of weakness, she felt like she had to do it.

She finally found what she was looking for and unlocked it, going to her text messages and pulling up her mother's number. Her stomach twisted, knowing that it probably wasn't a good idea...but she had to tell her.

 _ ***Mom, I just wanted to let you know that we just found out we are having twins. A boy and a girl. I hope you are doing well.***_

She took a deep breath and hit send. There. It was done. Now, she just had to wait for the response.

"Ana? Where are you?" Christian's voice rang out from the bedroom.

"I'm in the closet!" Anastasia stepped out and plastered a fake smile on her face, hiding her nervousness.

"Why?" He asked, half-laughing.

"I just wanted to text Olivia is all." She lied and winced.

"Ana?" Christian asked, knowing it was a lie by her face.

Anastasia sighed. "Okay...I sent one to my mom."

Christian's face turned angry. "What? Why? What the hell are you thinking?"

Anastasia looked down at the ground and shrugged. "I don't know...I just...I don't know." She sniffled and wiped at a tear. "I miss her. I know I shouldn't...but she's my mom."

She heard him exhale, but refused to look up. She was embarrassed and upset and confused all at the same time. She didn't know how to feel.

She saw his feet stop in front of her and he lifted her chin with his index finger. She sniffled and looked up at him. She saw that the anger was gone.

"I'm sorry, Ana. I should have realized how hard this would be on you." Christian wiped her tears off her face. "Do you want to stay in here and take a nap? Relax a little? I can tell everyone you need a break."

She shook her head. "No, I want to go back to the party. I don't want to dwell on it. I just needed a minute to get it out of my system." She looked down at her phone and saw that there was no new notifications. She set it on vibrate. "Will you put this in your pocket?"

"Of course. I'll let you know if it goes off." He took the phone and slipped it into his pocket before leaning down and kissing her. "You're sure you're okay?"

She sniffled. "Yes. Let me just blow my nose and freshen up, then I'll be out."

He eyed her for a moment. "Okay. I love you. All three of you." A smile formed on his face as he rubbed her stomach.

"And we love you. Now get going before they think we're in here canoodling!"

He laughed. "Canoodling...that's a new word for it."

"Get out!" She pushed him towards the door before heading back into the bathroom.

XxXxXx

Anastasia leaned up against Christian, with her feet tucked under her, while they sat on the couch. Half of the guests had just left, and Christian was right...Gwen had to basically carry Ros back down to their apartment. The fight for the Mariner's tickets was ugly, but in the end, Christian's grandmother won them. Anastasia was delighted that she beat out all of the testosterone in the apartment. The boys, on the other hand, all pouted for a full half hour after she left for home. Sawyer and Logan left not long after Grandmother Trevelyan gloated, with Jose and his father following close after. It was technically Sunday-Funday so, they all decided to have dinner at Christian and Anastasia's with Taylor and Gail joining them. Ethan pretty much invited himself when he found out that Grace and Gail were making Italian, but no one seemed to mind...especially Mia, who still had her eye on the blonde Kavanagh, even though he kept his distance since finding out his sister was marrying her brother.

Grace and Gail were in the kitchen cooking and talking up a storm. Mia and Kate were sitting at a table playing cards while the men were sprawled out across the living room talking about...well, Anastasia wasn't really paying attention. It had something do to with cars, but now they were talking about baseball. Didn't the season end already? If she wasn't already half-asleep, she would have rolled her eyes at the thought.

She was almost asleep when she heard Christian tell Elliot they had to rethink the babies' room at the Sound house. She instantly perked up, raising her head from Christian's shoulder.

He laughed. "That woke you up, didn't it?"

"I want to be apart of this. I don't like when you change things without telling me." Anastasia said, half pouting.

"We wouldn't do it without you signing off on it, baby. Don't worry." Christian put an arm around her and turned, pulling her between his legs while he threw his leg on the couch behind her.

She leaned up against his chest and played with his watch. "I hope not. I would really like built-in book shelves on each side of the room. One for each baby. I also want there to be a really big window seat so they can look out and see the sailboats while they read."

Christian grinned and nuzzled her hair. "What else?"

"I want it all in whites, beiges, and creams so that the natural light that streams in brightens it even more... and I want them to have chandeliers and something that shows that they're our little prince and princess..." Anastasia's grin got bigger with each item.

"OH! That would be so cute! They really are going to be the prince and princess of Seattle. I've seen where people make these big crowns they bolt to the wall above the crib and have sheer fabric hanging over the sides like a four post bed! That would be so perfect!" Mia practically squealed as she danced in her seat.

"Daddy, can you make those?" Anastasia asked, hopeful.

"I'm sure I could. Mia...just get me a picture of what you mean."

Anastasia felt a vibration against the side of her leg and she sat up quickly and looked at Christian as he fished in his pocket for the phones. He pulled both of them out and looked, before shaking his head.

"It's mine."

She frowned and relaxed back against him. Her mother hadn't replied yet and it was making her a little depressed. Her not replying was worse than her sending something nasty and heartless. Anastasia didn't know why she cared so much. She should have never sent that text message to her mother. There was a part of her that hoped that her mother just hadn't received it yet and that she'd be happier than she was a month ago. She knew it was a long shot, but she couldn't help it.

 **A/N: So, the decision with the gender reveal was honestly not decided until after everyone gave their opinions on the matter. Most of you wanted a girl, but I am partial to boys and was selfish...so even though I swore to myself that I would not do twins, I did them. *sigh* I was planning on it being a boy the whole time. Damn you guys! ;) Hopefully, most of you are happy with the way it turned out.**

 **Now, I want to know what you think I should name the little Grey prince and princess. Let me know!**

 **The drama that I had mentioned was going to be in this chapter is going to have to wait one more chapter...sorry guys!**


	44. Chapter 43

**A/N: Well, aren't you guys lucky! Two so close together! Don't get use to it! ;) Since they are so close together, I want to make sure to state that if you have not read the gender reveal, go back and read it before reading this one.**

 **Here comes the drama.**

It was a Thursday in the beginning of December, and Anastasia was at the end of her twenty weeks. Earlier that week, they had seen Dr. Greene and she announced that she didn't want Anastasia carrying past the 36 week mark. She said that if Anastasia didn't go into labor naturally, that she would be induced the second half of March. This caused both of them to go into panic mode, realizing they had a month less than what they had anticipated, in getting the house and the nursery together.

Dr. Greene reminded Anastasia to eat plenty of protein and drink plenty of water. She let the parents-to-be know that Braxton-Hicks can start early with multiples and not be alarmed if Anastasia feels a bit of tightening. Anastasia had been living off of Tums for the past two weeks, her heartburn being constant, but hadn't felt any of the tightening that the doctor had warned her about. She found out that she had gained another ten pounds since her last checkup, making her total eighteen pounds and she was horrified. Dr. Greene reassured that the weight gain was normal for having twins and not to fret about it. Christian, on the other hand, was ecstatic about her gaining weight.

Tuesday, after the appointment, Christian flew out with Taylor to Detroit, to finally finalize the shipyard deal. He begged Anastasia to come with him, but it didn't appeal to her at all. Just the thought of the plane ride made her feel nauseous and she didn't feel like being holed up in the hotel room while he was in meetings all day. He was due back late Thursday evening.

She was reading through a manuscript for a new author, when a conference request popped up from Christian. She accepted immediately and grinned into the computer.

"Hi, baby." Christian gave her a boyish grin back.

"I miss you." Anastasia told him. She did miss him. A lot. Her hormones were in overdrive and she missed having him to cuddle at night. She missed his warmth, his voice, his laugh...she even missed his smell. She'd become oddly obsessed with his smell and thought she was losing her mind until Dr. Greene told her it was actually quite common.

"I miss you, too. I'll be home tonight."

She nodded.

"How are you feeling?" Christian asked, concerned. "You've got circles under your eyes."

"I haven't been sleeping very well without you, but I'm okay. The babies seem to be moving around constantly now." Anastasia gave him a small smile.

Christian beamed. "Yea? What does it feel like?"

"Um..." Anastasia put her hand on her stomach where she felt the small movement. "It's kind of like fluttering...like butterfly wings, but stronger...it's hard to explain."

"I wish I could feel them." Christian pouted, making her laugh.

"You will soon. Dr. Greene said it wouldn't be long."

He nodded. "I spoke with Elliot. He's hiring three more guys so they can work around the clock to get the house done. He said they should be painting and finishing by mid February."

Anastasia smiled. "The Grey men know how to get things done. I'm sure that everything will work out fine."

"I'm glad you have faith in us." Christian's phone went off and he looked down at it and sighed. "I have to get this. I love you, baby. I'll see you late tonight. Please try to rest. You look terrible."

She rolled her eyes. "Thank you that lovely compliment." She said dryly. "I love you, too. Be careful."

Her own phone went off and she looked down. Her mother's name appeared on the screen and her heart jumped into her throat. Her mother never did respond to her text message back in October...why would she think Anastasia would answer now? She hit the ignore button and threw it in her handbag.

There was a knock on her door and Olivia entered with lunch and a few letters. Since the announcement of the twins, she had been getting a bit of mail from random people. Some sent them well wishes and pointers in dealing with pregnancy, while a few others sent her hate mail. The hate mail seemed to come from mostly women with the exception of a couple men, that didn't feel like she was good enough for Christian. Jealousy seemed to be the main cause for each one. Luckily, no one had threatened them so far, and she took that to be a good sign. She kept the fact that she was getting mail from Christian, because she knew he would overreact and have all of her mail intercepted before she got it. She didn't feel comfortable with someone she didn't know reading her private things.

"Here is your lunch, Ana. I've got your mail, too. Jax just came back from the post office, so I thought I'd bring them to you." Jax was Elizabeth's PA.

"Thank you, Olivia. This salad looks wonderful. I'm sorry you had to go get it." Anastasia had forgotten her lunch that morning and didn't want to go wandering Seattle pregnant, without Sawyer. He had dropped her off that morning, but he was house hunting with Logan and he wouldn't be back until she was ready to go home.

"Don't worry about it, Ana. I was going out to get my own anyway. It really isn't a bother." Olivia smiled, reassuringly.

Anastasia dug into her grilled chicken salad and began to open her mail. The first one was an invoice for her office products. She sat it on her desk so that she'd remember to put it in the Accounts Payable mailbox. The second was junkmail. She picked up the third letter and saw that the front was hand written instead of typed and there was no return address or stamp. No stamp...someone had to have dropped it off. She opened it carefully with her letter opener and peeked inside. A yellow piece of paper was inside, that looked like it came from a small steno pad. She pulled it out and opened it.

 ** _My Dearest Anastasia,_**

 ** _I've missed you, sweetheart. You have turned out to be more beautiful than I could have ever imagined._**

 ** _Love,_**

 ** _Daddy_**

Anastasia dropped the letter back onto her desk. Her stomach twisted painfully and she grabbed the trashcan just in time to throw up her salad. She felt nerves wash over her body in waves and her body began to shake. She wiped her hands on her black pants; she felt dirty just touching the same thing that monster did. With shaky hands, she dug into her handbag to grab her phone. She suddenly wished she took Christian's advice and learned Sawyer's phone number by heart. After fumbling a few times, she finally got it out and was able to pull up Sawyer's number and hit send.

It rang twice before he answered.

"Hello, Mrs. Grey. Is everything alright?"

"NO! Sawyer you need to come now!" Anastasia was panicked. She felt vulnerable so pregnant and by herself.

"What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Just come! Please, I'll explain when you get here!"

"Okay, I'll be right there after I take Logan home..."

"NO! Please! Just bring him! This is an emergency! Mr. Grey is gone and so is Taylor and I don't know what to do and I'm too-"

"Okay, okay...calm down. We're on our way. Just take deep breaths..."

Anastasia closed her eyes and tried to do that.

"Very good...in through the nose, out through the mouth...keep doing that." Sawyer coached.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Sawyer asked, after a minute.

"How close are you?" Anastasia asked, getting up and locking her door.

"Three minutes."

Anastasia nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Okay...good."

"What happened, Mrs. Grey?"

"I got a letter..."

"Was it a threat?"

"I...well...no...not necessarily..."

"Okay..." Sawyer said, confused.

"Well, it's from my birth father." Anastasia wrung her hands.

"The one in jail?"

"Well...I don't know...It doesn't have a stamp on it. Someone had to drop it by." Anastasia chewed on her lip. She must sound completely crazy.

"Don't touch it."

"What? Why?"

"Fingerprints. We need to know if it's really from him or if it's someone playing games." Sawyer told her. "We're entering the building now."

Anastasia hung up the phone and unlocked her door, opening it. She saw Sawyer and Logan coming down the hall and took a deep breath, feeling some of the pressure leave her shoulders. "Thank God."

"I'm so glad you're here!" Anastasia pulled Sawyer into a hug first and then Logan before shutting the door and locking it again. "On my desk." She pointed, for Sawyer.

He looked down at the letter and his eyebrows furrowed. "Is this the envelope?" He asked pointing to it.

She nodded. "Yes." Realizing her knees were shaking and getting weaker by the minute, she took a seat in one of the chairs opposite her desk.

Sawyer used her letter opener to flip the envelope over so he could examine it. "We need to see who dropped this off. Are you up to looking at the security footage?"

"Uh...sure. I don't know when it came though."

"Logan, will you stay here with Mrs. Grey? I want to ask the front desk about the letter. I'll be right back." Sawyer asked, looking at his husband.

Logan nodded. "Of course." He took a seat next to Anastasia. "How are you doing, Ana? You're shaking."

She shrugged. "I'm scared. I'm pregnant...I don't want him to find me. I'm sorry I ruined your day together. If Taylor would have been here-"

"Don't be silly. You haven't ruined anything. I'm sorry that you have to go through this. You're safe with Luke. I'm sure he and Taylor will figure this out." He offered an open hand to Anastasia and she willingly took it, wanting the support.

There was a knock on the door and Sawyer came through. "Didn't want to startle you. It seems that it was dropped off this morning around 9:30."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "That's when I came in."

Sawyer nodded. "I know. We need to look at the tapes. Come with me."

She grabbed her handbag and they escorted her to the security office. Sawyer set her down next to Darius, the security officer, while they went over the tapes. He was fast forwarding through the morning when Anastasia stopped him.

"Stop!"

Darius hit the pause button and she pointed to a man that was leaning up against the corner of the building. "Who is that?"

"Not sure. Let me pull this other camera." Darius clicked away and another picture popped up from a different angle.

Anastasia gasped and covered her mouth. "That's him! Oh my god...when did he get out?" Logan placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed, trying to comfort her.

"Darius...play the video." Sawyer instructed.

They watched the man stand there, leaning up against the wall for a few moments.

"Fast forward a little."

Darius nodded and did what he asked. He hit play when the Audi pulls up outside the entrance and Anastasia steps out.

"He watched me." Anastasia was mortified.

They watched the tape as Anastasia enters the building and he follows soon after.

"Holy fuck. Please say he leaves." Anastasia reached for Logan's hand and held it tight.

A couple moments later, the man walks out of the building and continues onto the right. Darius hurried to check the rest of the cameras and saw that he disappeared off all of them.

"Darius, I need you to look through and make sure he didn't come back. Check the back cameras too. I need to call Taylor. Sit tight, Mrs. Grey."

Anastasia watched Darius go through the tapes while Sawyer stood on the opposite side of the room, mumbling into his cell phone.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it and saw that it was Christian.

"Christian!"

"Ana! Are you okay? What the fuck is going on?"

"He watched me go into work this morning! He followed me in!"

"Holy fuck, Anastasia! You need to be more aware of your surroundings! He could have taken you!" Christian barked into the phone.

"I...I'm sorry! I...I didn't-"

Christian sighed heavily into the phone, cutting her off. "It's not your fault, Ana. Once Sawyer knows that it's safe, go home. Don't let him out of our sight, Anastasia. I mean it. I'll be home as soon as I can. Just stay calm and don't stress out. I'll kill this fucker, Anastasia. I swear it to you...if he even tries to lay a hand on you..." Christian gritted through his teeth.

"Christian...just come home. I need you." Anastasia pleaded.

She heard him exhale. "Oh, Ana. I'm coming. I'll be there as soon as I can."

She took a deep cleansing breath end hit the end button. She saw that she had four missed calls from her mother and it made her want to throw the phone across the room.

Her phone buzzed again, making her jump, and she saw that it was Ray.

"Hello?"

"Annie! I need to talk to you."

Anastasia looked around the room. _He wanted to talk now?_ "Um, okay. What is it?"

"Your mother said she has been trying to get ahold of you."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm aware."

"She was trying to get ahold of you because the police called to state that Frank has been released from prison." According to Washington law, the police are required to report to the victims family when the criminal is released from custody.

"Why?" Anastasia squeaked. He was supposed to be serving fifteen years.

"Good behavior. He has to register with the national sex offender registry and can't be within fifty feet of a school or playground or from you."

Anastasia groaned. "Well, he's already broken that."

"What? Annie-are you saying?"

"He came to work earlier and left me a letter."

"FUCK! Anastasia...you need to call the police. I'm coming down there."

"No, no...I don't want to make everything worse. Just go to Escala. We'll meet you there."

"Annie...call the police."

"I will, Daddy. I'll see you at home."

XxXxXx

An hour later, she was given the okay by the police to go home while they investigated the letter and the video tapes. They closed Grey Publishing for the day and asked the employees to vacate the premises.

When the elevator finally opened into the apartment, she was greeted by Ray, who was standing there with a whiskey in hand. She flung herself against him and cried into his chest, gripping the front of his shirt on each side of her head. He handed his drink to Sawyer and held her to him with both arms.

"Sh...it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. We'll get this taken care of." Ray soothed, rubbing her back up and down.

"I'm going to do a sweep of the apartment, Mr. Steele. Stay here until I give the all clear." Sawyer asked, eyeing the room around him.

Ray nodded and squeezed Anastasia to him. Gail soon joined them in the foyer, stating that she was shoo'd out of the apartment by Sawyer.

Once Sawyer gave them the okay, Ray took Anastasia to the couch and settled in with her.

"I bought you some ginger ale today, Ana. Would you like some?" Gail asked, trying to help in the only way she knew how.

Anastasia sniffled and pulled her head out of her father's chest and nodded. "Yes, please."

A half an hour and two glasses of ginger ale later, Anastasia was out for the count. She was emotionally exhausted from the day and her eyes were heavy and swollen from crying. She couldn't keep herself awake anymore and fell asleep against Ray's shoulder on the couch. She was awoken sometime later, by voices.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and blinked a few times before she realized there was someone new.

"Mom?! What are you doing here?"

"Ana! Oh, Ana! I've been so worried!" Carla rushed over and hugged Anastasia, but she pushed her away. "I tried to call you this morning, but when you kept ignoring my calls, I got worried and drove straight here. Ray told me everything. Are you alright?"

Anastasia sat there, staring at her mother, her forehead creased. Her mind wasn't working properly yet and she wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if her mother really was there.

"Ana...?"

"I...I need a minute. I've just woken up and I'm confused and I need to use the restroom. Just...just hold on." Anastasia climbed off the couch and hurried into the bedroom, happy to get away for a second. She didn't know what to say...or even feel. The last time she saw her mother was on her birthday. Her mother had tried to call her the week after, but she ignored her phone calls. Then, when she tried to reach out to her mother, her mother wasn't receptive. She didn't know if she could handle trying to figure this out on top of everything else that had happened that day.

She washed her hands and decided to change into a gray pair of sweatpants and one of Christian's white shirts. Once she pulled her hair up into a bun, she knew she had no other choice, but to return to her mother.

She padded back into the main room barefoot and her mother watched her from a chair next to the couch.

Carla's eyes lit up. "Oh, Ana...you look beautiful. Pregnancy really agrees with you."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. She didn't want to hear it. She settled back into the couch with her father and pulled her legs up, sitting cross-legged, so that her stomach sat comfortably, cradled in her lap.

"Where's Sawyer?" Anastasia asked, looking around.

"He and Logan are having coffee with Gail in the kitchen." Ray answered.

Anastasia nodded and relaxed back against the couch.

"So..." Carla said, looking around. "Twins, huh?" She asked, awkwardly.

"Mmhmm." Anastasia answered, tight lipped, while she played with the hem of her shirt.

"Any names, yet?"

Anastasia sighed. "I can't do this. You can't just come back and pretend like everything is fine. What you said was terrible. Not just to me, but to Christian, too. He is one hell of a man and he didn't deserve any of the things you said to him. You came here because you were worried about that monster getting out of jail. So, I don't want to talk about my children to you...the same children you begged me to get rid of."

Carla blinked at Anastasia and tears fell down her cheeks. Anastasia looked away, telling herself not to be affected by it.

"I do love you, Anastasia. I don't regret having you. You're my pride and joy...I'm worried sick about Frank being out there. It felt like everything had started all over again...I-"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Carla jumped out of her chair and turned to see Christian storming in. Anastasia's heart leapt at the sight of him.

"I just needed to check-"

"This no longer concerns you!" He growled. "Get out! You are not welcome in our home!"

"She's my daughter! That monster is on the loose! You don't expect me-"

Christian barked out a laugh. "Suddenly, you give a shit? You didn't give a shit about your daughter when you told her she should have never been born! You didn't give a shit about your daughter when you demanded that she kill our children in the middle of her-"

"WAIT JUST A GOD-DAMNED MINUTE!" Carla screamed, stomping towards him. Christian's fists clenched on either side of him.

Anastasia stood quickly and hurried over to them.

"Stop! Don't do this-"

"I care for my daughter! I only told her to do that because I cared! I didn't want her stuck!"

"Stuck!? She isn't-"

"Stop! Please!" Anastasia begged. She was beginning to feel dizzy and their yelling was just making it worse. She put a hand on her forehead to try and get her bearings.

"For fuck's sake! Yes, she is! If she isn't doing exactly what you-"

"Christian..."

"-think she should be doing, you-"

"Christian..." Anastasia said a little louder and grabbed his arm.

"-throw a fit-"

"Ana?" Christian looked at her and saw the blood drain from her face.

"I think I need to lie down..." Anastasia murmured clutching his arms.

"Are you going to be sick?" Christian asked.

She shook her head and then squeezed her eyes shut. That was a bad idea. "I'm feeling...faint."

He grabbed her and picked her up, carrying her to the couch and depositing her on top. He kneeled down beside her and stroked her forehead.

"How are you feeling, baby? Better?"

She blinked up at him. "Mmhmm..." She felt her eyelids getting heavier. "I just need...to close...to sleep." She closed her eyes.

"Ana?"


	45. Chapter 44

**A/N: So, I went through this chapter and did my editing...and then I lost half the chapter and had to write it all over again! It's probably not as good as the original...but I'm pissed and done with it...lol**. **If it wasn't for the wifi crashing before i hit save, you would have had this chapter a lot earlier. Sorry loves!**

Anastasia heard people around her talking before she even opened her eyes, but none of them sounded familiar. There was a man with an Irish accent, a woman with a tenor voice, and she could hear sirens. She groaned, knowing where she was and opened her eyes to look for Christian.

"Mrs. Grey? Mrs. Grey? Can you hear me? My name is Noah and I'm an EMT. Do you know what happened to you?" The Irish accent asked.

She ignored him. She was too busy looking for Christian, but he wasn't there.

"Christian? Christian!" She shot up quickly, but the woman used her forearm to push her back down to a laying position.

"Ma'am, you need to lie down."

"Where's Christian? Where's my husband?" Anastasia's heart-rate quickened. "Why isn't he here?" She felt panicked being alone.

"We told him it'd be best to follow behind the ambulance." The Irishman said.

"You didn't let him come? I need him! I need Christian!" Anastasia tried to sit up, but the woman held her down.

"We're almost to the hospital and he'll be there as soon as we stop. He's right behind us." Noah tried to soothe, but Anastasia was too panicked to care and started to hyperventilate.

"No, you don't understand! I can't do this by myself! I need him! Please..." She never did well with anything hospital related and Christian had always been by her side when things happened. She was exhausted and panicked and needed the closeness and support of her husband.

"Mrs. Grey! Please calm down! We're pulling in now! You're going to faint again if you don't calm down!" The woman said, loudly.

Anastasia scowled at her. Somehow, she didn't think that yelling was the best way to get someone to calm down. She had a few words she would have liked to tell the woman, but the doors opened and they started to pull her out of the ambulance.

Once they started rolling her towards the ambulance entrance, she started yelling for him.

"Christian? Christian! Where is he? You said he'd be right here!" Anastasia choked back a sob. She couldn't do the hospital by herself.

"Ana! I'm coming!" Christian's voice sounded distant, but the Irishman stopped the stretcher until he caught up.

"I'm here. I'm so sorry. They wouldn't let me on…no matter how much I threatened their jobs." Christian apologized, reaching for her hand and walking beside her. She pulled his hand up to her cheek and closed her eyes, nuzzling against it.

"Thank God you are here." She took a deep, cleansing breath and felt her body relax. "I can't keep my eyes open, Christian." Anastasia mumbled against his hand.

"Then sleep, baby."

"You won't leave?"

"Not for a second." Christian promised.

She nodded before falling back to sleep, feeling much calmer.

XxXxXx

She blinked awake and the first thing she saw was Christian with his head on her stomach. She heard him sniffle and noticed that tears were streaming out of his closed eyes, onto her blanket covered stomach. She reached up and wiped at his wet cheek, startling him.

"Ana!" He sat up straight and sniffled again, wiping furiously at his own cheeks.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the babies?" Anastasia asked, starting to panic again.

"No, no. Please, stay calm. The babies are fine." Christian assured, brushing a lock of hair off her face.

She looked around, noticing that the room didn't look like either one of the rooms she'd been in before. "Where are we?"

"The OB wing of the hospital. Since you were so far along, they brought you straight up here."

She nodded and sighed, resting her head back on the pillow. "Why am I always here?"

He laughed halfheartedly and sniffled again. "You've had a nonsensical kind of year, haven't you?"

Anastasia snorted. "That's an interesting word for it." She eyed him. "Why are you crying?"

"I guess...I guess it's because this is the first time I've had a minute to breathe. All of the worry and anxiety about this whole situation has caught up to me. I hate that all of this is happening to you and I can't just make it go away."

She frowned. She hated seeing him like this. "I'm sorry I've upset you."

He sighed. "Why are you sorry? This isn't your fault."

Anastasia chewed her lip and looked around the room. "So, what's wrong with me?"

"Your blood pressure is really low. The doctor said that it's common up to the third trimester. She said that with the added stress, it just pushed you over the edge. We'll have to watch you carefully from now on and if you feel tired or dizzy, the doctor said you need to listen to your body and rest." Christian gave her a stern look, knowing that she probably wouldn't listen. "Now, there's something I would like to speak to you about."

"Oh, boy. If this is about me not working..."

"No, I'm not asking you to quit work. Scoot over. I want to lay with you." Christian ordered.

She scooted over quickly, eager to cuddle with her husband. He laid on his back and, mindful of her blood pressure cuff, she laid on her side, relaxing her stomach against the front of his hip and nuzzled into his neck, breathing deeply. He smelled heavenly.

"Smell something you like?" Christian teased.

Anastasia grinned into his neck. "Mmhmm."

"I'm surprised you can even stand me after working all day and flying home. I haven't showered yet."

"Smells like Christian." She murmured against his neck and kissed it. "We'll bathe together when we leave."

He grinned up at the ceiling and twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. "Sounds good."

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, taking in Christian's scent one last time before closing her eyes and relaxing into him.

"Don't fall asleep. I need to talk to you."

She groaned.

"Don't give me that. This is important."

"Okay...what is it?" She pulled her head out of his neck and straightened back up on the pillow, looking at him.

He turned to his side and shared her pillow. "While you slept Ray, Taylor, and I spoke briefly about Grey Publishing. Since the lease only has a couple of months left on it, we're just going to move the company now."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "You're moving the company? Where?"

He watched her for a couple seconds before answering.

"To Grey House." He searched her face, trying to read her response.

She chewed her lip as she processed the information and what it meant. "So, I'll be working in the same building as you?" A part of Anastasia was glad to be near Christian, but another part of her was annoyed because she knew it was probably so he could keep a better eye on her.

"Not just the same building, but the same floor." Christian gave her a small smile. "Your office will be next to mine."

"Woah..wait! You are telling me that you are going to uproot the whole company and shove them in the _top floor_ of GEH? The _executive_ floor?" Now she knew that he only wanted to keep an eye on her.

"It's my wife's company and it's a small one. Yes, they'll be on the twentieth floor. The whole left side of the floor is empty. There's a large empty area where cubicles can be set up and three empty offices. You and Elizabeth can each have one. The fourth elevator will open straight into your own little lobby area where Olivia and Jax can make their work areas at the front desk." Christian looked happy about the fact that he was uprooting the whole publishing house. Anastasia didn't know what to think.

"Christian...I...Why? I know you are worried about the babies...but I won't be pregnant forever..." She needed him to give her a valid reason.

"With your birth father on the loose and knowing where you work...it's safer at Grey House. Plus, I've been thinking about moving it there anyway. I want to work next to you. I want to be able to have lunch with you when I want...and maybe bend you over my desk when I want." His right eyebrow raised a fraction of an inch and she saw his eyes darken just slightly. He blinked and the darkness was gone.

Anastasia immediately turned red. "Christian!"

He chuckled. "Don't tell me you're against an after lunch quickie?"

She knew that she should be completely disgusted by the thought, but in all honestly, it had sealed the deal for her. Visions of her bent over his large, wooden desk with her panties around her knees made her stomach clench deliciously.

She sighed. "How long will this take?"

He grinned. "I knew the sex would convince you." She rolled her eyes. "The cubicles can be built in a couple days and then it'll take a couple days to get everything moved and all the computers set up. So, we can have it done by the end of next week. You, though. You are not going back there. Not when we don't know where that fucker is. I have guys trying to track him down as we speak."

Anastasia's jaw clenched, her stomach churning at the thought. "I...I honestly don't want to go back, but I'd like to pack my own office up. If I could just go one day next week...maybe you could come with me?" She added, seeing the look on his face.

He eyed her and she made sure to keep eye contact, not backing down. After a few seconds he sighed, resigning to her idea. "Fine." He reached up and slipped his hand through her hair. "Now there's another matter we must deal with."

"Um...okay?" Anastasia didn't like where this was going.

"Your mother."

She bit her lip. She didn't want to have this conversation now.

"I tried to get her to leave and asked the nurses to remove her from OB, but since she's on your emergency contact list, they couldn't make her leave. Sawyer and I refused to let her in, so she's sitting out in the waiting room with the others."

"Others?"

"Gail, Taylor, Ray, and Logan. Sawyer's on guard duty outside the door."

Anastasia frowned. "Oh." They all had come to see her? Taylor and Sawyer had been on duty for so long. She felt guilty not having them home.

"The nurse said when you woke up, if you didn't want her here, you could ask her to go. I think you should take her off the emergency contact sheet."

She nodded. "Yes. I will." Truth be told, her mother didn't deserve to be an emergency contact. If it had been up to her, Anastasia would have never even been born.

"I'll go get the others now that you're up. Do you want to see your mom?" Christian asked, trying to be supportive, but Anastasia could see his jaw flex in annoyance.

She shook her head. "I don't think I have the strength to deal with her at the moment."

Christian visibly relaxed at her words. "I was worried that she'd make things worse if she did see you. Glad to know I made the right decision. I'll go get the others and let the nurses know that you're up."

Anastasia nodded and let him kiss her on the forehead before he stood up and smoothed his clothes.

"I'll be right back. Sawyer is right outside the door."

"Will you leave it cracked? So that I can see Sawyer?" Anastasia felt so ridiculous asking this, but her hatred for hospitals was greater than the embarrassment of asking.

"Of course." Christian gave her a small smile and stepped out. She could see him murmuring to Sawyer before Sawyer turned his head to look inside the room. Anastasia smiled at him and she received one back before he turned to continue his watch.

Anastasia raised the head of her bed up a little and settled back in the middle of the bed once she finished situating her pillows. She pulled her sheet and blanket up to her chest and tucked it under her arms before relaxing her hands on her stomach. She looked down at her hands and sighed. Why couldn't they just enjoy this time in their lives? Why did everything always have to get fucked up? She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't have Christian to keep her safe. She didn't know what her birth father was capable of. She didn't know him well enough to know if he was just playing with her emotions, if he really wanted to see her again, or if he had full on insidious intentions of kidnapping her and taking her back to where he was staying and continuing what he use to do with her. All she knew is that she would do anything to keep the babies safe...and if that meant moving the company to Grey House and being babysat 24/7 by men in suits...then so be it. She would allow Christian to have the control in this situation. She didn't have it in her to be in control at the moment...even if she wasn't pregnant, she didn't know how well she'd be handling it. The only thing keeping her from falling apart were the people around her; at the moment she felt safe and calm knowing that all of those people down the hall wanted nothing more, than to make sure that she and the babies were safe. She knew that even Gail would find a way to kill the monster if she was unable to defend the babies. Anastasia grinned at the thought of how loved her children already were. She patted her stomach at the thought.

"I said no! You are not going into that room!"

Anastasia's head snapped towards the door, where Christian's voice could be heard from the hall. She craned her neck to see what was going on, but Sawyer stepped to the right, effectively blocking Carla from entering and Anastasia from seeing anything.

"She's my daughter!"

"Keep your voice down!" Christian warned, sounding like he was clenching his teeth. "She does not want to see you. She's in a fragile state and I won't have you upsetting her further."

"You won't have me? Who do you think you are?!" Carla whispered harshly.

The door opened further and Logan, Gail, and Ray entered, leaving Taylor in the hall with Sawyer. He turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with Sawyer while Christian and Carla continued their argument.

"I am her husband and the father of her unborn children!" Christian growled back. "You will not add more stress to her situation."

Logan motioned for Gail to take a seat in the chair next to the bed and Anastasia scooted over so Ray could sit on the edge, next to her. He took her hand in his while they all kept their eyes on the back of Taylor and Sawyer.

"That terrible man is on the loose! She needs her mother!"

"I am well aware of that..and she needs no such thing! There is nothing you can give her that Ray and I can't."

"I beg your pardon? Sawyer! Move! I need to see her."

Anastasia's eyes widened as she listened. She didn't want to see her. She silently begged Sawyer not to allow her through.

"I'm sorry, Miss Wilks. I can't do that. Why don't you go on to the hotel and get some rest before you head back to Portland?" Anastasia could hear the struggle in Sawyer's voice to stay professional and it made her smile a little.

"Sawyer! I am warning you!"

"Miss Wilks...if you touch me, we _will_ have a problem on our hands. Do not make me remove you by force." Sawyer said calmly. Anastasia half-wished he'd rip her a new one.

"You! This is all your fault! You told your baboons to keep me away from my daughter! You're actually paying him to stand at her door and keep her away from her own mother!"

Anastasia bit her lip, waiting for Christian to explode, but he remained calm.

"I am the one responsible for keeping her safe, yes, but I never asked Sawyer to keep you away from her. If you remember correctly, he was there when you made your comments about how you tried to kill your own daughter. I don't _have_ to tell him to keep you away. He doesn't want you around her either...and I'm _paying_ him to stand at her door because he is her security and we are on red alert...not because of you, although you are a monster in your own right, but because of her monster father! How such a sweet, loving girl came from the two of you...I'll never know...thank God she had Ray. He was the only thing constant in her life. He loves her enough for both of you. You are no longer needed. She requested that you be sent away. I don't want you around my wife or my children ever again."

"I don't believe you. You are too controlling. If she said it, it's because you forced her to. I want to hear it from her."

Anastasia opened her mouth to say it, but Christian continued.

"The nurse will speak to Anastasia and she can tell you her decision. You will not take one step into that room."

"You might control her, but you do not control me. Do not tell me what I can and cannot do."

"If you do not want to listen to me...or anyone under my payroll, I will ask hospital security to come and escort you out of the building once she tells the nurse she doesn't want to see you."

"I want to hear it from her!" Carla yelled.

"Miss Wilks, I will go and ask Mrs. Grey if she wants to speak with you, but you need to keep your voice down." A voice Anastasia didn't recognize responded. Taylor and Sawyer moved apart enough to let the woman in and Anastasia saw that it was a nurse in pink scrub pants and a white scrub top with pink and blue baby footprints on it. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Hello, Mrs. Grey. My name is Chloe. I'm your nurse. How are you feeling?"

Anastasia shrugged. She didn't know how she was feeling. "Physically, alright. I'd like to go home."

Chloe gave her a sad smile and headed towards the blood pressure machine and hit a button so that it began to inflate. "I'm afraid you'll have to sit tight for a little while longer. The doctor would like to take a look at you again, but she's in the middle of a c-section now. It'll be a bit before you can see her, so just lay back and relax if you can."

Anastasia nodded and looked down at the blood pressure cuff that was now deflating.

"98/65...that's better than last time." Chloe told her as she signed on to the computer bolted to the wall to chart.

"Are you having any dizziness?"

"No."

"Have you been up?"

"No."

"Do you need to use the restroom?"

"No...yes!" Just hearing the question made her have to go. Anastasia crossed her legs as the urge hit her and started to climb out of the bed.

Chloe hurried over to help remove the blood pressure cuff and help her out of bed. "You might get dizzy, so I'll follow you and hold your gown closed on our way."

"Thank you." Anastasia appreciated it. She definitely didn't want her father or Logan getting a peek at her lacy thong that she had put on, knowing that Christian would be home later.

After finishing and washing, she opened the door to find that Christian was back. Chloe got her settled back into bed and Christian sat next to her on the opposite side of Ray, and put an arm around her.

"Your mother is having a staring contest with Taylor and Sawyer." Christian said, amused.

Anastasia sighed. "I just want her to leave. She had no right, speaking to you that way."

"I'll let her know, Mrs. Grey. If we have to, we'll call security." Chloe told Anastasia as she signed off her computer.

Anastasia gave an embarrassed smile. "Thank you." The situation would make a great episode of Dr. Phil.

"You're very welcome. I'm going to bring you your dinner now. Unfortunately, the cafeteria is closed, so all we have are sandwiches and salads...and since you know you can't eat lunch meat..."

Anastasia laughed. "A salad it is. It sounds lovely, thank you." Anastasia gasped, realizing. "You all haven't eaten, have you? I'm fine...please go home and enjoy your night."

Ray chuckled and patted her knee. "We ate in the cafeteria while you slept."

She relaxed and looked up at Christian. "You mean Christian ate cafeteria food? Did you happen to get it on film?"

Christian scowled. "I am capable of being normal, you know."

Anastasia grinned up at him. "You didn't use to be. You're getting better at it...so did you stand in line and pick out your food, too?"

Christian scoffed. "I wasn't about to leave you. They brought me up some food and I ate here."

She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "Good."

XxXxXx

Three hours later, Anastasia was home and bathed. Christian sat on the bed in his boxerbriefs, his back resting against the headboard, as he watched the news on their new television. Anastasia demanded that they put one in so that they could watch movies in bed when her feet started swelling.

Anastasia finished blowdrying her hair and turned off the light before standing in the doorway to ogle her husband. His hair was still damp from the shower, his abs looked even more defined with the light from the television bouncing off of them, and she saw that his toned legs were crossed at the ankles while he jiggled his foot back and forth quickly. She learned awhile back that it was a habit that he had when feeling restless. She wanted him restless. Her eyes ran back up his body and when she made it to his face, she saw him staring back at her.

She smiled at him and made her way to the bed, climbing in and throwing a leg over his lap so she could straddle him.

"And what do you think your doing?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"What I'm doing is ravishing my husband." She whispered before pressing her lips against his.

He groaned and squeezed her thighs, pushing his hands up, under her chemise. She released his lips and kissed down to his jaw, licking her way across his stubble before nipping at his strong jawline. She continued to kiss and lick her way down his neck and shoulders and kissed each of the scars on his chest.

"Fuck. I need you, Ana."

She sat up straight and he pulled his boxerbriefs down enough for his erection to spring free.

"Take your panties off, baby. I don't want them getting in the way."

She hurried to do as he asked...quite ungracefully, making him chuckle.

"Impatient, are we?"

She giggled. "Very." She threw her leg back over him and positioned herself over him. She lowered herself until his head slipped in, making her hiss. "Oh, yesss." She whispered.

"Good girl, baby. Keep going!" Christian urged, pushing down on her hips to make her take him faster.

She lowered herself until he was completely seated inside of her and relaxed, allowing herself to get acclimated to his size before rising slowly. She stopped suddenly, when she realized her stomach was rubbing up against his.

"It's fine, baby. Keep going." He coaxed, rubbing her thighs.

She reminded herself that it was not the time to be self conscious, and slid back down his length at an excruciatingly slow pace.

"I need you to bounce, Ana...please."

She smiled smugly, loving that he was finally the one begging instead of her. She slid up and down slowly a few more times before he growled out in frustration.

"Ride me." He commanded, looking at her. She saw the flicker in his eye and knew that if she didn't do as she was told, she'd be the one being tortured instead.

"Yes, sir."

She increased her pace and started to bounce. His hands went to her arse and squeezed, his fingernails biting into her flesh, as his head fell against the headboard with a thud.

He lifted his head again and watched her body. "Fuck, baby. You are so sexy. I can't stand it. I need to taste you."

He flipped them around and she squealed as her back hit the mattress. She quickly bent her legs and spread them, knowing he'd demand that she show him what's his.

"Good girl, baby." He licked his lips. "You are so wet."

"Christian..." She whimpered.

"What do you want, baby? Tell me...do you want me to eat you?"

She nodded. "Yes." She whined.

"Do you want me to tongue-fuck that sweet little pussy?" He asked, leaning down and kissing her center.

She moaned and her toes dug into the bed. "Oh, yes please, sir."

He groaned against her and swiped his tongue up her slit, swirling it around her clit once before running his tongue back down to find her core. He pressed into her opening and she moaned loudly, loving the feel of his tongue inside of her and the way his stubble rubbed against her outer lips.

He slipped his tongue back out and ran his tongue in a circle around her opening before diving back in again.

"Oh, Christian...I love when you do that!" She clung to his damp hair, urging him to continue.

"When I do what?" He teased. "This?" He asked, before repeating the movements.

She moaned loudly. "Yes! Just like that!" He did it again, making her hips rise. "Fuck! You're so good, Christian...please don't stop."

He continued to thrust and swirl his tongue until her legs were shaking and he had to hold her still. He pushed his tongue inside her once more and pushed down hard on her clit with his thumb, making her come violently. She felt his tongue moving in and out, lapping her up and forcing her orgasm out longer.

Once she had relaxed, he sat up on his knees and hooked his arms with the back of her legs.

"I'm going to fuck you hard."

"Oh, yes please!" Anastasia reached up with both hands and placed her palms flat on the headboard to give him some leverage for his punishing pace.

XxXxXx

"Come on, Mrs. Grey. Let's get you to sleep; you're supposed to be on bedrest for the rest of the weekend...remember? I think we've done more physical activity tonight than you were supposed to do all weekend." Christian opened his arm so she could curl up against him.

Once she settled against his naked side, she yawned. "I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. I know I've slept all day, but I don't feel rested."

He grinned and turned his head to nuzzle into her hair. "Making twins is exhausting work. Adding the low blood pressure and the stress of everything you went through today...I'm surprised you even had the energy to let me have my way with you."

She rolled her eyes into the dark. "I am not an invalid, Christian!"

"I know your not. I'm just stating that if anyone deserves bedrest this weekend, it's you. I'm not going into the office tomorrow either, but Taylor and I have some work we've got to do in the home office. I'll bring you some breakfast in bed before I disappear for the day...how does that sound?"

Anastasia smiled. "Sounds perfect. Can you bring me lunch in bed, too?"

"I'd be delighted to Mrs. Grey." Christian answered, amused.

"You make a lovely butler, Christian." Anastasia teased, giggling.


	46. Chapter 45

It was Thursday of the next week and Anastasia's first day out since her fainting incident. Christian had left earlier with Taylor for work; he had a breakfast meeting with Ros and some big shots from Japan.

Anastasia took her time getting ready, wanting to look up to par with the rest of the executives on the floor. She decided on a tight black dress that stopped below her knees with three-quarter length sleeves. It accentuated her baby bump, ass and swollen breasts perfectly. She might be pregnant, but she refused to look frumpy. She picked out her black lace 'Znouba' Louboutins and left her hair down in waves. It felt incredible to be able to go back to work. She was sick of moping around the house, trying to do her work in bed.

Sawyer drove her to work and when she stepped out of the elevator, she felt like she was back in her element.

"Hello, Mrs. Grey. You're looking well!" Andrea stated, smiling at Anastasia as she passed.

Anastasia returned the smile. "Thank you, Andrea. I feel well. Glad to be out and about finally. Is Mr. Grey busy?"

"He and Taylor are in a meeting. Sawyer is supposed to join them." She mentioned, looking over at Sawyer. "He also said that he didn't want to worry you, so that you should go relax in your new office until they are done." Andrea's smile widened when she saw the look on Anastasia's face.

"Mmhmm...thanks for letting me know, Andrea." She walked beside Sawyer on his way towards Christian's office. "Don't close that door, Sawyer! I'm warning you!" She whispered.

A small smirk formed on his face and he gave her a small nod. She stopped walking and allowed him to continue towards the large office. Once he was inside and she saw he left the door open, she hurried over to the side of the door, against the wall so she could listen in. She looked back at Andrea and saw Andrea watching her; she could see her shoulders shaking in laughter. Anastasia put a finger up to her lips, requesting that Andrea not give anything away and the woman nodded in understanding.

"Sawyer...come in, have a seat. Let's get started." Christian's voice could be heard. "What have you found, Taylor?"

There was silence for a second and whispering and Anastasia took a step forward, listening hard. Suddenly she heard laughing- completely confusing her.

"Anastasia...I suggest that if you want to eavesdrop that you take in account your large stomach." Christian's voice sounded amused.

She looked down and saw that her stomach was indeed sticking past the doorway and she took a step back, making Christian laugh harder.

"Baby, you've already been busted."

She took a step forward again and leaned forward, grinning at the men.

"You want to listen?"

She nodded.

Christian sighed. "Alright...come in and shut the door."

She hopped to and hurried in, shutting the door behind her.

When she turned, she saw Christian's eyes rake over her body and his eyes narrowed. _Uh oh._

He pushed his chair away from his desk. "Anastasia...come sit. After, you and I are going to have a little chat."

Her eyes widened on the way towards her husband. He must not be happy with her outfit. She gave him the sweetest smile she could and sat in his lap, grabbing his hand and placing it on her stomach.

He sighed. "The babies are not going to save you, Mrs. Grey. Nice try." He mentioned, making her frown.

"Alright...go on, Taylor."

"I spoke with the police and they don't have anything new. They can't track him down." Taylor informed, frowning.

"I fucking knew it! Those fuckers are so incompetent! I donate all this money so that they help us locate him and I bet they aren't even trying! I think we should just fucking forget them and deal with it ourselves. I want you to hire two more, Taylor. We _need_ to find him. Our family depends on it! I don't want him running the streets now and I sure as hell won't have him running the streets after these babies are born!" Christian slammed his fist down on his desk. He was fuming. His whole body shook.

"Yes, Mr. Grey. I'll hire two more tonight."

"I take it that there isn't any news from our guys either?"

Taylor looked sheepish. Anastasia didn't think that she had ever seen him look that way. "Dennison caught him out two nights ago at a local bar."

"AND? Why the fuck are you just now telling me this?!"

"He got away."

Christian snorted. "He got away? HE GOT AWAY? HE HAD THE MAN RIGHT THERE...AND HE GOT AWAY? HOW THE FUCK DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN? I WOULD HAVE KILLED THE FUCKER BEFORE I WOULD HAVE LET HIM GET AWAY!"

Anastasia winced at how loud Christian was being. She felt her stomach swirl around. The babies could hear him.

"Christian! Lower your voice! You just startled the babies!" Anastasia snapped, holding her stomach.

His eyes widened. "I did? They heard me?"

She nodded and rubbed her stomach. Suddenly she felt something against her skin. It wasn't a flutter or a roll...it was like a kick. She gasped when it happened again and put her hand over the spot. When she could feel it with her hand, she grabbed Christian's and put it in the spot.

"The babies are angry, too." Anastasia said, grinning.

Christian sat there, wide-eyed. She noticed he wasn't breathing

"Breathe, Christian."

He sucked in a breath. "Those are my babies? This is so surreal..."

"See...you need to keep your voice down."

He placed his other hand over her stomach and rubbed, trying to collect his thoughts. "Taylor...it is imperative that you find him. Fire the fucker who let him get away and hire a new one. We need him now."

Taylor stared at Anastasia's stomach and nodded. "I agree, sir."

"I want you to send me their background checks once you've hired them, Taylor. I want only the best."

Taylor nodded. "I understand, sir."

"Good. Now, if we're done here, you may leave. Anastasia and I are going to have our little chat."

Anastasia's eyes widened and she pleaded with her eyes at the two men in front of her. Neither one of them would look at her. She scowled at the door when they closed it behind them.

"Anastasia...what are you wearing?" He asked, turning her body sideways so he could see her face.

She sighed. "Clothes."

"This dress leaves little to the imagination, Mrs. Grey! You are my wife and you find that it's a good idea to show every curve you own on your first day here?" Christian scowled.

"Excuse me?" Anastasia hopped up and took a few steps away, suddenly needing space.

"And those shoes? Why the fuck are those on your feet? Those are for _my_ private collection, Ana! _My eyes only_! I didn't buy them so you could traipse around the office in them so every single one of the men that work for me can dream about fucking you in those!"

She laughed. "You must have me mistaken for one of your employees, Christian. You can't just scream at me and expect to get what you want! You picked this dress out, remember? And how was I supposed to know that these shoes were for your "private collection"?" She asked, using air quotes. "I wore this dress because it makes me feel good and I was proud to be carrying your babies! I wanted to show my stomach off for you!"

Christian's face softened, only a little. "I don't want you to wear those heels."

"I'm already here! I am not going to go back home. I will wear what I want. No man is going to daydream about some big, fat pregnant lady!"

Christian rolled his eyes. "You aren't going to be pregnant forever, Ana...and you're still beautiful, now."

Anastasia growled out in frustration and stomped her foot. "Everyone knows I am your wife!"

"And everyone wants what is mine!"

"Are you that much of an egomaniac? You think everyone is out to get what is yours?" Anastasia had enough. It was an outfit for goodness sake! She plopped down on the couch across the room and leaned her head back.

Christian made his way over and sat close to her on the couch.

"Yes, I do. People are jealous, Anastasia. Men are going to try to take you away. They're going to see you as a trophy. Taking you away from the owner of the company would be so satisfying for those fuckers. On top of that, you're beautiful. Any man would kill to have you."

Anastasia sighed and sat up, cupping his face with his hands. "I only want you. No one compares to you. I've given you everything of mine. I've given you my heart, my body...I've taken your name and made vows to only love and honor you for the rest of our lives. I'm carrying not one, but two of your children. I don't know what else I can do to make you see that you are it for me. I want no one else."

A smile formed on Christian's face. "I'm sorry, Ana. I love you." Even Christian Grey needed reassurance every once in awhile.

She returned his smile and leaned in to kiss him. "I love you, too, Christian."

She released his face and stood up...with difficulty. The couch was low and her stomach was big. Christian helped her and looked her over.

"Are you sure you aren't going to fall in those heels?"

I sighed. "Christian...I have been walking in heels since I was twelve. I'm just as comfortable in them as I am flats. Please just let me enjoy being able to wear them while my feet aren't swollen."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, her stomach pressed firmly against his. "Alright, Anastasia. I just worry."

"I know." She leaned in for another kiss before stepping away from him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an office to set up."

He grinned. "Right next to mine."

She laughed. "Yes."

"We share a private bathroom, you know."

Her eyes widened. "You have a bathroom?" She looked around and saw a door on the opposite side of the couch. "I thought it was an extra closet."

"I'm the owner of the company, Ana. I don't want to have to use the public bathroom every time I need to go. Plus...before you...I basically lived here. I took a lot of showers here. I wanted you to enjoy it with me, so I had them put in another door." He took her hand and showed her the bathroom. It had a sink, a toilet, a phone, and a shower with white towels folded on the shelf beside it.

"Wow...its even bigger than the one I had growing up." Anastasia mentioned, looking around.

Christian laughed. "Baby...every bathroom is bigger than the one you had growing up."

She smacked at his shoulder, but couldn't help a laugh. She saw a door on the opposite side and opened it. Her office was on the other side and a smile formed on her face.

"We have our own secret passageway to one another."

Christian wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "We do, don't we? That'll make the office sex even easier..." He teased.

"Christian!"

He chuckled and let her go. "Let me show you around your office, Mrs. Grey."

"Ooh...a private tour, Mr. Grey? I must be one lucky woman."

He grinned and took her straight to her desk.

"So...this is your desk..." He mentioned, guiding her backwards and onto it, kissing her neck. He pointed towards the left, continuing to nibble against her neck. "Those are your shelves..." He kissed up her jaw, to her lips. "Over there is the lounge..." he mentioned against her lips, making her grin. He kissed her once more and looked toward an empty corner by the wall of glass. "And over there would be a perfect corner for a table and some chairs...what do you think?"

She smiled. "It's great and everything...but I'd rather you get back to your own little tour of me."

He chuckled and nipped at her chin. "Sounds good to me." He kissed his way to the top of her chest and she leaned her head back, propping herself up using her hands that were pressed against the desk behind her. His hands slowly moved her skirt up, his fingertip grazing against her inner thighs.

"This is much better than a fruit basket..."

He laughed against her chest and licked his way along her clavicle. "I better be the only one welcoming you like this, Mrs. Grey."

His hands reached her underwear and she moaned quietly. "I want you, Christian." She whispered. He nuzzled her neck and straightened.

"Stay."

She watched him lock her door and shut the bathroom door so that they had privacy. He returned to her and pulled her hips closer to the edge of her desk. He pulled her panties off as quickly as he could and deposited them in his back pocket before unbuckling his pants and pulling them and his boxer-briefs down to his thighs. He took himself in his right hand and rubbed his length up and down a few times, making Anastasia whimper and squirm.

"Another first, Ana. Are you ready to christen your desk?"

She nodded. "Yes, Christian. I need you."

He kissed her lips. "Lean back on your hands again, baby."

She did as requested and he lined himself up, pressing into her. Her head fell back, her mouth open as he continued to pump.

"You feel so good, baby." Christian grunted, grabbing her hips and holding them tightly so he could pick up pace.

She hummed in agreement. "Faster, Christian. I need it faster." She lifted her legs up and placed the back of her heels on the desk.

"Yes, baby. Yes...keep your legs up." Christian stepped closer and plunged deeper into her.

He reached down and rubbed her clit. "Christian!" Ana hissed through her teeth and lifted her head to look at him.

"Come, Ana. I'm too close." He pinched her clit between his thumb and index finger and she threw her head back, biting her lip to keep from screaming as her legs shook violently.

She felt Christian lengthen and jerk with a grunt and she forced herself to open her eyes and watch him as he came. His own head fell back, his jaw tensing, and his adam's apple bobbing. It made her want to do it again, but she knew they were lucky to finish once before Sawyer knocked on the door.

His head came forward and a small smile was on his face. His eyes were hazy and wild.

Anastasia grinned. "Good?"

"Oh, fuck yes." He slipped out of her and she sat up. He grabbed her face and kissed her hard before pulling his pants up.

"Stay there, baby. I'll clean you up."

He disappeared into the bathroom and came back with a warm, white wash cloth.

"Open your legs."

Once he wiped her clean, he pulled her panties out of his back pocket and slid them up her legs.

"I was going to keep these as a souvenir...but I think I came too much. It might get messy."

"I appreciate you giving them back." Ana mentioned, standing carefully, trying to get the feeling back in her legs. He pulled her panties up the rest of the way and she positioned them comfortably before tugging her dress back down her legs.

"It smells like sex in here, now." She mentioned, scrunching her nose.

"Mmhmm..." he answered playfully, pulling her back against him so he could kiss her again.

She swatted him away and pulled out her body spray from her purse, spraying around the desk. Christian stepped back quickly, dodging the spray.

"Watch it!" He warned, making her laugh.

"Don't want to smell like a girl?" She teased, spraying herself before placing it back into her purse.

"That...and I don't want that cheap stuff to stain my thousand dollar suit."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. He always teased that her 'Bath & Body Works' was cheap, but he never complained once about the way it smelled on her. Truth be told, she was obsessed with it and had just about every body spray, body wash, and candle they had out.

"Don't worry...my body spray won't hurt your precious Armani." Anastasia pulled the box that sat on the corner of the desk, towards her and began to rifle through it.

"What do you have in there anyway?" Christian asked, looking.

There were pictures of them and their families in frames, the twenty week sonogram showing both babies, a nail grooming kit, a coffee cup from France, some office supplies, and her teddy.

"You keep this here?" Christian asked, picking up the stuffed animal.

"Yes. When I start to feel panicked, he calms me." She took it from him and hugged it to her.

He gave her a small smile. "If you start to feel panicked here, you know you can come to me."

She giggled. "Yes, I know. Teddy and I will come find you." She winked at him.

Someone knocked on the door and she hurried over to unlock it and open it. Sawyer was standing there.

"Hello, Sawyer. Come in! We're just unpacking."

Sawyer looked over her office and went to the window to look out.

"Mr. Grey? Have you spoken to Mrs. Grey about the button?" Sawyer asked, turning away from the window.

Christian's eyes widened. "Oh, yes. The button...Ana...there's a button under your desk." He pointed to where it was on the underside of her desk. "If someone comes in and you're being threatened...you can push it and there's a camera in the corner that will automatically start taping and it will alert the police and security here."

Anastasia's eyes widened. "You put this in just for-"

"No, no. All offices are equipped with these and there is also a button at all lobby desks. It's standard safety procedure." Christian assured.

She let out a deep breath and nodded. She didn't want any special treatment. She felt guilty enough about the private bathroom...but being pregnant, it was definitely safer for her not to have to walk so far to the restroom.

Christian left her to get settled in and once she was unpacked, he had Barney come in to show her the new computer and phone system. She spent some time at the Grey Publishing lobby, looking it over. There was a large sign that was etched in the glazed glass in the sitting room on the opposite side of the walkway that said "Grey Publishing" and there were already magazine racks full of magazines and Olivia and Jax even had a mini fridge behind their desks that held bottled water labeled "Grey Enterprise Holdings" on the front for guests coming in. All of this seemed so...professional. Anastasia felt her pride swell in her chest. She hoped that by looking more high end and official, that more authors would be convinced that Grey Publishing was a serious and dependable company and be eager to sign with them.

Olivia showed her the cubicles and other rooms that housed the other departments. She showed her where HR and accounting sat. She showed her where sales and marketing had set itself up as well as the contract and legal department, the creative department, IT, and the new social media department that sat next to marketing. Anastasia never realized how large the publishing house was until it was laid out like this. They took over the whole left side of the floor.

"Why do we have a social media department?" Anastasia asked Olivia.

"Mr. Grey had mentioned in a meeting that it was imperative to get Grey Publishing out there. They're starting with two people to manage all of the social media accounts. If it becomes popular...we'll add more." Olivia said, smiling. "It's engenious really. It'll put us out there to the younger authors."

Anastasia nodded and followed her back towards the lobby. She really felt like an outsider. She was a little angry and a lot embarrassed with Christian not including her in the meeting or even telling her about it. She should have never agreed to stay home. She went back to her office, but the longer she thought about it, the angrier she got.

She stopped by Andrea's desk. "Is Mr. Grey in a meeting?"

"No, Mrs. Grey. You may go in."

"Thank you, Andrea." Anastasia turned and stomped towards his office, ready to explode. She opened his door and saw him start to stand to greet her with a smile on his face. She slammed the door behind her and his eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Anastasia?"

"YOU! You are what's wrong! I finally agree to sign as co-owner of Grey Publishing and you have a meeting with them that I am not aware of to speak about the changes in Grey Publishing and don't even bother to let me know of the changes?!" She said quickly, in one breath. She knew her sentence was running on, but she didn't care.

"Ana...baby...please calm down..." Christian came to her and took her by the elbow to steer her to the couch.

"I will not calm down!" Anastasia answered, refusing to sit. "If you want us to be co-owners...you can't keep doing things behind my back! I have to learn from my _personal assistant_ that there is a new department in a company that's supposed to be half mine! Do you know how embarrassing that is? If you aren't going to take me seriously then I want out! I will work as one of your employees and I will receive the information as everyone else does."

Christian sighed and rubbed his face. "I'm sorry, Ana. I wasn't aware that it was that big of a deal. Social media is such a common thing now...almost every business uses it...I just thought it was common sense."

"Even if it is...you still need to communicate with me about it."

He nodded. "Yes, you are right. I'm sorry. I'm not use to sharing a company, Ana. I'm use to being able to make my own decisions without getting an okay from someone else first."

"You humiliated me, Christian."

He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her hips, leaning in to nuzzle her ear. "I'm sorry, baby."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. He was trying to use seduction to make everything better again.

"It isn't working, Mr. Grey."

"Hhm...I better try harder then..." He whispered in her ear before nibbling on her earlobe, careful of her stud earrings.

Anastasia exhaled and closed her eyes.

He nibbled his way down her neck and she tilted her head so he could keep going.

"Is this better?" He asked against her skin.

"A little." Anastasia stepped back, away from him. "I'm serious though, Christian. If you really want to run this together, you need to communicate with me... _before_ you tell any of the others."

He nodded. "Yes, Ana. I will. It was bad judgement on my part. It won't happen again."

She regarded him for a moment and then stepped up to kiss him chastely on the lips. "I believe you."

"We've fought twice today, Mrs. Grey." Christian mentioned, frowning.

"Yes."

"I hate fighting with you."

"Me, too."

"Let's not fight anymore."

Anastasia smiled. He always said this and she always agreed and then a week later they'd fight again. "Agreed."

Christian looked down at his watch. "Good. Now...I've got a meeting with accounting in ten minutes, so give me a kiss so I can smack you on the ass and send you on your way."

Anastasia gasped and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. She giggled. "Feisty today."

He wiggled his eyebrows in response and held her tightly against him, kissing her breathless. He smacked her hard on the ass and she jumped and squeaked against his lips before he pulled away.

"Go on, baby. I'll come get you for lunch in a bit."

She leaned up and kissed his lips one more time. "Yes, sir."

She watched his eyes close, savoring her words.

"You want to play tonight, baby?" He asked, his voice low.

She groaned. "Yes, sir. I want to please you."

"Oh, fuck me." He growled, his forehead dropping against the top of her head. "How am I supposed to walk in that meeting with this raging hard on?"

Anastasia giggled. "Stow it for now, Mr. Grey. I'll take care of it later."

He snorted. "Easy for you to say. I can't control it when it comes to you." Anastasia smiled smugly at this. "It's rather infuriating, really."

She winked and headed toward the door. "You've got two hands. Use them."

He scowled at her as she closed the door behind her.

XxXxXx

Anastasia slipped off her black dress from the day and climbed into bed, leaving on her black lace bra and panties, and the Louboutins that Christian claimed were for his personal enjoyment. Christian was in the bathroom and once she heard the water from the shower cease, she kneeled on the bed and relaxed her arms on her thighs, keeping her eyes on her stomach. She hoped she didn't look too ridiculous doing this so pregnant.

In her periphery she saw the light from the bathroom disappear and the door open. Her heart hammered in her chest as she saw his feet stop and Christian stand up straighter. The towel he was wearing dropped and her eyes flicked up quickly, seeing that he was already hard. That was a good sign. He walked slowly around the bed, taking in her position and she forced herself to stay in position, even though she felt self-conscious.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on." His voice was behind her and she felt the bed dip behind her and his lips on the back of her neck, making her shiver.

"My wife wants to play?" He asked, whispering in her ear as he nuzzled it.

She whimpered. "Yes, sir."

"Lie on your back."

She did as he requested and she saw that he already had a tie and a silk sleep mask in his hand. _Where did he get those?_

He quickly slipped the eye mask over her eyes and then lifted her arms, tying them together and then to the headboard. His hands wandered down her arms and sides and to her swollen stomach. "You are stunning." She felt him press his lips to her stomach. "Are you comfortable?"

She had to fight her grin. He was always so worried about her comfort since her stomach grew. She loved that even though he was playing dominant, he still put her first. "Yes, sir."

She felt his weight disappear and she waited, knowing he wouldn't leave her. She heard him come back and jumped a little when she felt his warm hand against her ankle. "Let the others dream as much as they want. I'll be the only one that gets to fuck you in these heels."

She rolled her eyes behind the blindfold. He _had_ to bring it up.

She heard a clinking sound and her hips lifted on their own accord. She knew that sound. She felt the leather cuff of the spreader bar wrap around her ankle soon after. Once he had both ankles bound and the bar attached to the bed, he ran his hands up her legs. "I love when you're wide open-just for me."

She hummed. "Only you."

His hands went to her hips and stilled for a second before she felt a jerk and a tearing sound. She felt her panties fall away from her body and she wiggled her hips, trying to create some sort of friction. "You're so strong, Christian."

She felt him nuzzle his nose against her center, his nose rubbing her clit. "Mmm...I love the smell of us mixed together."

She whimpered. "Please, Christian..."

"Please what, baby?"

"I want to come."

She heard him laugh lightly. "Oh, Ana...you know you only come when I make you."

She bit her lip. "Make me come, Christian."

"Demanding little thing aren't we? That wasn't very polite, Anastasia." He said, his finger running over her slit, barely touching her. She tried to move her hips towards his finger, but he pulled it away.

"Please, sir. Please make me come."

"Hmm...I'll think about it." He said, pressing something into her core. She realized it was the vibrator they had made together in the privacy of their own bedroom; it was a perfect replica of Christian's. Kate had bought the kit as a gag gift for Anastasia's birthday, but it turned out to be one of her favorite toys.

Her mouth opened, making a perfect 'O' as he slowly pumped it in and out.

"How does that feel, baby?" Christian asked, kissing the exposed part of her breasts.

"So good." She answered, breathless.

"As good as me?"

She shook her head. "Never."

She heard a click and it began to vibrate, making her jump. "Right answer."

"Mmm...faster...please..." She tried to open her legs further, but they were stuck there.

He pumped faster and her moans became louder. "Yes! Christian...so close...oh, right there!" Her toes curled as her center started to flutter and he pulled the vibrator out at the last second.

She growled in frustration. She could just cry. She had been so close.

"I'm not ready to make you come, yet."

"Oh, please, Christian...please!" She begged, yanking on her wrist restraint.

"Oh, Ana...I can see your center pulsing...I like that." He kissed along the hair line of her center.

"Christian...please."

He slipped the vibrator back into her. "Ah...yes...thank you, Christian..." She tried to grind against it, but he pulled it out.

"Nuh uh uh. I'm in control, Mrs. Grey."

She relaxed the best she could and sighed. "Yes, sir."

He pushed it back into her opening and pumped it a few times, making her mewl.

"Do you want me to make it vibrate, baby?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. Make me feel good, Christian..."

She heard him groan as he turned the vibrator back on.

"Better?"

"Yes! Thank you, baby." She smiled, feeling her eyes roll back in her head. Her orgasm started to build again and she began to pant. She bit her lip, deciding it was best not to tell him when she was close...but again...when she was just about to spiral over the edge he pulled it.

"Why?!"

Suddenly he plunged himself into her and pressed the vibrator against her clit, making her scream and convulse as her orgasm slammed through her. He rode through her orgasm and kept thrusting as she relaxed.

"Feel good enough for you, baby?" He asked and she could hear the smugness in his voice.

She couldn't deny it. It was good. Her whole body was humming. "Yes, sir."

"I'm going to untie you and you're going to get on all fours so i can fuck you from behind." He told her, still thrusting into her.

She nodded. "Okay."

She felt him leave her body and soon, her arms and feet were free. She scrambled to all fours and stuck her ass out, willing him to continue. His hand connected with her right cheek and she moaned, wiggling it more.

"Little minx."

She felt his thighs against the back of hers and he pressed into her. She felt her bra fall and slide down her arms with his hands replacing the fabric over her breasts as he started to knead them.

"Too sensitive?" He asked as he began to pump into her.

"No, sir."

"Good." He began to pluck at her nipples in the rhythm of his thrusts, squeezing and yanking as he slammed into her. "We should have used your pink diamond nipple clamps."

She moaned at the thought. "Next time."

He squeezed her nipples tighter and she felt a weird sensation in her breasts before Christian moaned.

"Your nipples are leaking, baby." She felt him rub the warm, wetness onto her nipples. "You are incredible." He began to slam into her harder, making her cry out.

"That's it, Ana. Let me have it." Her center started to clench and her thighs started to twitch as she reached her second orgasm. He slammed into her three more times before stilling and finding his own release.

Anastasia collapsed onto her left side and curled up.

Christian chuckled from behind her. "You haven't removed the blindfold or shoes, yet."

"No need." She said, grinning. She was exhausted and ready for bed.

He removed her blindfold anyway, placing it on the bedside table.

"Let's get you on your pillows before you fall asleep." He lifted her off the bed and placed her back down higher on the bed, her head on her pillow. She felt him slide her shoes off, massaging each foot for a few seconds before releasing them.

Her eyes remained closed as he covered them and curled up behind her, holding her stomach.

"They're kicking." He mentioned, pressing his hand against the spot.

"Mmhmm..." She answered, drowsy. "It seems they already like sex."

He snorted. "There will be none of that until they're thirty."

It was Anastasia's turn to snort. "Yea...let me know how well that pans out."

"How about Devin and Delilah?" Christian asked. They had been throwing names around for weeks and so far, they have found nothing that they agreed on.

"No. How about...Harry and Hermione?"

"Wha...What? You can't be serious!" Christian asked, sitting up. "Where the hell do you come up with these things?"

Anastasia giggled and turned on her back, grabbing his forearm so he'll lie back down. "Harry Potter of course! And...Hermione happens to be Shakespearean, thank you!"

"No."

"Dominic and Dakota?"

"Absolutely not! Dakota is ridiculous." Anastasia barked. "Remus and Luna."

"Oh, come on! Now you're just being ridiculous! We might as well name them Phoebe and Chandler!"

"Oh...Phoebe!"

"No."

"But..."

"No!" Christian mouthed.

 **A/N: Just a fun joke with Dakota's name. I actually like the name Dakota...but thought it would be fun to add her name in this one. :) Hope none of the Dakota fans take it personally.**


	47. Chapter 46

**A/N: I had the hardest time writing this chapter for some reason. I'm still not happy with it all, but at some point you have to throw your hands in the air and just let it be. It didn't come out like I had wanted it to, but it's written and I hope you all can enjoy it anyway. Thank you for your patience while I fought this chapter so long.**

Christian and Anastasia were on their way to his parent's house for Christmas Eve. Not only would the Greys be there, but Kate and Ray, too. Everyone planned to stay the night and then spend Christmas together. Anastasia was beyond ecstatic that her in-laws had thought to ask her father for the holiday.

Taylor and Sawyer had the holiday off, so Christian drove them to his parents himself, not trusting the two new CPO's that Taylor had hired. Instead, the new CPO's went ahead of them to secure the house and the grounds surrounding.

Christian pulled into the driveway and waited for the all clear. They watched both men come around the back of the house, giving a nod.

"Ready?" Christian asked, turning off the Bentley.

"Yes! It's cold!" Anastasia said, taking off her seat belt and opening the car door. She went to the back and grabbed her pillows, allowing Christian to get their overnight bag and bag of presents.

Anastasia opened the door and immediately felt the warmth of Christmas surround her. The house was meticulously decorated for Christmas. Live garland and ribbon were draped over the doorways and the banisters, the smell of balsam hitting you as soon as you walked in. The further they went, they could smell fresh baked goods and turkey, making Anastasia's stomach growl.

She couldn't contain her grin as she took in every decoration on their way in. Everything about the holiday season was so warm and inviting. She just imagined being curled up under a blanket on the oversized armchair by the fire later with Christian while everyone sat around drinking eggnog and talking. She squeezed her pillows to her tighter and followed Christian into the main room.

"SURPRISE!"

Anastasia screamed and dropped her pillows at the shock of everyone standing there. Christian looked just as surprised as she was.

Her eyes went around the room as she took in all the baby shower decorations. Christian and Anastasia had decided they didn't need one since they were more than capable of buying everything on their own. Grace had fought them on it at first, but stopped and Anastasia realized that she had decided to ignore their request and throw a surprise one instead.

Christian placed their bags at the bottom of the stairs. "What's this?"

"It's your baby shower, silly! Instead of buying presents, we've decided to do a diaper party and onesie competition instead. Everyone's bought or made onesies and you two get to open them and pick your favorite one." Grace explained, hugging each of them.

"This is great! Thank you! You really didn't need to..." Anastasia told her.

"Yes, I did! We all took a vote and decided we were going to have a party if you two liked it or not." Grace answered, laughing. "How are my grandbabies?"

"Kicking up a storm!" Anastasia mentioned while Ray came up to hug her. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, babygirl."

"You were in on this?" Anastasia asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Maybe." He answered, shrugging.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What's the fun in that?" Ray asked, giving her a crooked smile and hugging her again. "You look beautiful."

She looked down at her sweater and jeans. "Whatever you say, Daddy."

They continued to make their rounds, saying hello to their family and friends. Grandmother Trevelyan, Gail, Taylor, Logan, Sawyer, Ros, Gwen, Elliot, Kate, Mia, Ethan, Mr. Kavanagh, Mrs. Kavanagh, Carrick, Grace, and Ray all made it to the party.

"You just can't get enough of me, can you?" Anastasia asked, hugging Sawyer.

He laughed. "I've become attached, what can I say?"

She hugged Logan next. "I think he secretly just wants to check up on the new security." He whispered in her ear, making her laugh. "You know how it is...he and Taylor think that no one can do the job like they can."

"But isn't that true?" Anastasia asked, winking at Logan.

"Why, of course!" Logan exclaimed, dramatically.

Sawyer raised his eyebrow in question and the two gave him their most innocent smiles.

"Oh...that's not suspicious at all!" Sawyer said, sarcastically.

"What's not?" Christian appeared, handing his wife some hot apple cider.

"It appears that our spouses are conspiring against us." Sawyer answered, eyeing the two.

"What?" Anastasia asked, putting a hand to her chest.

"Us?" Logan asked, trying to look affronted.

"We would never!" Anastasia shook her head and took a drink of her hot apple cider.

Anastasia had come to adore Logan. He reminded her a lot of Jose and he always seemed to know how to make her laugh. Christian wasn't very happy about their newfound friendship...and sometimes she wondered if it bothered Sawyer, too.

Christian rolled his eyes. "Alright, Mrs. Grey. Fun's over here. We have to say hello to the Kavanaghs." Christian put an arm around her and steered her away from the men.

"Anastasia...it's so nice to see you! I apologize about missing the gender reveal! Kate and Ethan said it was quite the party!" Mrs. Kavanagh said, hugging her.

"It was quite the shock." Anastasia said, nodding.

"How far along are you?"

"I'm 23 weeks." When seeing Mrs. Kavanagh's eyes she laughed. "I know, I'm huge. Hard to believe that these babies are really only a pound a piece right now."

"I think it's just because you've got such a small frame. Are you going to make it to full term?"

Anastasia shook her head. "They're inducing me on March 26th if I don't go naturally before then. I'll be 36 weeks."

"Well, you're glowing, Ana. I'm so happy for the two of you."

She smiled. "Thank you. Hopefully, we can do this."

Mrs. Kavanagh laughed. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Are you two going to have a nanny?"

"We've got some interviews lined up. I'm planning on going back to work eight weeks after they're born, so we'll need one. I don't need a live in nanny, just one Monday to Friday until one of us gets home. I don't want my children being brought up by their nanny...so it's important to me that when Christian or I am home, that we be the primary caretakers for them." Anastasia explained.

"Alright, Mom. You've monopolized Anastasia enough. It's time to eat." Kate told her mother.

"Preggers eat first!" Mia yelled.

Anastasia grabbed Christian's hand and moved towards the buffet style set up on the bar to grab their plates. She was eager to try the large spread that took up the full length of the bar. She saw a hand grab a plate too and turned to see Kate standing there with a large smile on her face. The whole room went quiet.

"Are...are you saying?" Anastasia asked Kate.

Kate nodded vigorously.

The girls squealed and hugged each other.

"Katherine Kavanagh! Why didn't you tell me?!" Mrs. Kavanagh barked with her hands on her hips. "You couldn't have waited two more months?"

Kate shrugged. "Well...Elliot's old and he didn't want to wait any longer." She giggled at her own joke, but stopped when she saw her mother giving her a scowl.

"How far along are you?"

"Just six weeks. The pregnancy test was positive on Tuesday and we saw Dr. Greene on Thursday." Kate explained, looking glum. "I thought you'd be happy."

"I.." Mrs. Kavanagh sighed. "Yes, of course. I am happy...I just thought...you'd wait until _after_ the wedding."

Kate hugged her mother. "We've only been trying for two months...we really didn't think it would happen this soon. When we found out, we thought it'd be fun to surprise you for Christmas."

Elliot stood at Kate's side, trying to be supportive, but started to sweat from Mr. Kavanagh's intense gaze. Grace and Carrick stood behind Kate's parents...their looks unreadable. Finally, Grace stepped towards Elliot and hugged him.

"Congratulations, darling." She turned towards Kate and Kate's mother and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Why don't we go into the living room and talk privately?"

Kate's mother nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. We'll let everyone get their food. Come on, Phillip." She took her husband's arm and followed Grace, Carrick, Kate, and Elliot down the hall.

"Well...I don't think that's how Kate expected that to happen..." Anastasia mentioned to Christian.

Christian sighed and grabbed a plate. "Probably not."

As Anastasia filled her plate, she kept eyeing Christian and noticed he looked a little shocked still.

"You alright?"

"I just can't believe my brother is having a baby...okay...let me rephrase that. I can't believe he's going to have a baby...on purpose."

He followed Anastasia to their name cards and held her chair out for her. "What is that supposed to mean?" Anastasia was a little annoyed with Christian over this. She remembered how annoyed he got when Elliot opened his big mouth about their pregnancy and now, he was basically doing the same thing to Kate and Elliot.

"I just mean...well, Elliot's always enjoyed being a bachelor and the lifestyle that came with it. When he asked me to help pick out Kate's ring...well, I was shocked enough by that alone. He told me that he never wanted children. It just seems odd that he's changed his mind in such a short time, is all." Christian tried to explain.

Anastasia picked up her fork and shrugged. "Maybe all this baby talk gave them baby fever. He's going to be 31 soon...perhaps it took finding his soulmate to want children."

Christian nodded. "Maybe." He didn't seem too sure.

"Do you think he's going to regret it?"

Christian took a minute to think it over while they ate. "I don't know. I'm just nervous for him. He seemed so adamant about it, before. Part of me wonders if Kate...pushed him into it."

Anastasia laughed. "Kate? Eh...I don't think so. She was up in the air about the whole children situation, too. She told me she didn't want children until she was at least 25."

Christian continued to eat in silence and a part of her was bothered by the fact that he thought that Kate would force Elliot into such a big decision. Kate would never do something like that.

"Elliot and Kate have fallen in love and they realize they want a family. That isn't a crime, Christian. I know that you said that Elliot mentioned he would never have children...but think about it. Did you ever think you'd have a family?"

Christian frowned. "No, I didn't."

"That's because you hadn't found the right person, yet. Now look at you! You're married to the best woman in Seattle and going to be a father of two perfect children." Anastasia teased.

Christian grinned and reached over to rub her stomach. "Yes, I guess you're right."

Anastasia leaned over and bumped his shoulder with hers. "See, they'll be fine. At least they planned this. Now, stop pouting and eat your food before I eat it for you."

XxXxXx

Christian and Anastasia sat down to start opening their onesies. Mr. and Mrs. Kavanagh was the first package they opened up. There were two onesies in it: the first was white with black and gold writing that said, 'I woke up like this. Flawless.' and the second was black with white writing that said, 'You did not wake up like that.'

"This is great!" Anastasia commented, laughing.

"It reminded us so much of Kate and Ethan. We had to get it." Mrs. Kavanagh mentioned, grinning.

"Well, I love it! I can't wait to put them in these!"

Grandmother Trevelyan stood and handed Christian the package from her. "I want my grandson to open this one."

Christian smiled up at his grandmother and opened the package. His fingers stopped moving once he read it and everyone stared, curious.

"What does it say?" Anastasia asked.

He lifted it up for everyone to see and it said 'My great grandpa is my guardian angel' sewed onto the front in blue thread with angel wings in the background. Everyone gushed over it and Anastasia noticed Christian blinking back tears and clearing his throat.

"This is wonderful, Grandmother. Thank you. Did you hand-make it?"

She smiled. "Of course I did."

Christian stood up and hugged his grandmother fiercely. "It's perfect."

"I'm glad you like it. You know how much of a soft spot he had for you. I can only imagine how he's celebrating right now knowing you're going to have your own children."

"I miss him." Christian told her quietly.

"I know, Chris...Me, too."

The two finally pulled apart and everyone seemed to be wiping their own tears away.

"I've got a good one for Christian, too." Elliot said, grinning. He handed his package to his brother and Christian took his seat next to Anastasia.

"I'm not sure I want you to open it..." Anastasia mentioned, teasing Elliot.

"It won't explode...I promise."

"Just so you're aware...I will not dress my children in anything with the 'F' word on it." Anastasia warned, making sure to watch her language around their grandmother.

Elliot laughed. "I promise that it does not have the 'F' word on it."

Christian ripped the paper off and his head fell back in a laugh. He lifted it up and it read, 'My Daddy is jealous...I had boobies for breakfast and he didn't.'

"ELLIOT!" Anastasia admonished, hiding her face in her hands. She could feel it heating up.

"What? The word fuck is not mentioned anywhere on it."

"I will not put my child in that!"

"Okay...but I bet Christian will." Elliot mentioned.

Anastasia scowled at Christian and he just looked the other way, pretending not to notice her. "Christian...I swear..."

"Here, Anastasia! Open mine!" Kate interrupted, handing Anastasia her gift, hoping to squash the argument. "This is a tribute to our little bookworm." Anastasia scrunched her nose at the nickname Kate and Mia had given her. "Oh, stop looking at me like that! Just open it."

Anastasia tore open the package and looked inside. "Oh! Kate! I love it!" She held the white onesie up for everyone to read. 'And though she be but little, she is fierce'. Anastasia pouted. "I want one for me!"

"What's it from?" Ethan asked, craning his neck to see it clearly.

"It's Shakespeare...It's lovely. Thank you, Kate!"

"You're welcome, Ana! I'm glad you like it. I bought some shorts with frills on the butt to go with it, but Grace said it was against the rules...so I'll just give it to you later."

Anastasia laughed. "Sounds great!"

"ME NEXT!" Mia squealed, hurrying over to give Anastasia and Christian her present. "I actually bought quite a lot..." Carrick's eyes narrowed and Mia went red. She cleared her throat to try and regain her composure and plastered a smile back on her face. "But, I just put my favorites in this. You can take the other bags home with you tomorrow."

Anastasia ripped it open and the first was a white onesie that said 'I'm following in my Auntie's footsteps' with leopard print high heels on the front.

"She better not." Christian murmured, so that only Anastasia could hear.

She pulled out another onesie that was blue and said 'I've waited my whole life to meet my Daddy.' She turned to Christian and draped it over him so that everyone could see it. He grinned at it and turned it around to look at it again. She could see in his face that he suddenly felt guilty for that smart-ass comment he made.

"This is very sweet. Thank you, Mia." Anastasia told her sister-in-law.

"Ethan...why don't you go next?" Mia told him, very obviously batting her eyelashes at him. He was still trying to keep his distance from her, uncomfortable with the fact that their siblings would be getting married and that they would somehow be related...although through marriage...it still bugged him.

"Uh...sure..." Ethan handed Christian the present. "Just be warned...Elliot and I shopped together."

Anastasia groaned and rubbed her face. She knew she'd just die of embarrassment in front of their grandmother if it was as bad as Elliot's. Christian didn't seemed worried; in fact, he smiled at Ethan and tore into it.

Christian looked shocked for a second and then started laughing. "This is even better than Elliot's!"

Anastasia frowned and leaned over to read it. 'I'm not just milk drunk, I'm tit faced'.

"ETHAN ANDREW!" She grabbed it from Christian and balled it up, refusing to let anyone see it.

"What does it say?"

"Come on, Ana!"

"No. Next!" She was not only annoyed that they would buy such things when they knew Grandmother Trevelyan was going to be there, but for them to think that she'd actually put them on her beautiful, innocent children. She didn't care if her hormones were making her overreact. She had a hatefire burning in her chest for Elliot and Ethan at the moment.

Christian leaned over and kissed her temple. "Easy." He whispered in her ear. Her anger must have physically manifested itself more than she thought. "It's just for fun, baby."

She nodded and took a deep breath. Perhaps she was being a bit ridiculous over it. Like Christian said, it was only for fun. She still wasn't going to show everyone the onesie, though. That word on that onesie made her cringe.

They continued to hand them presents and they enjoyed them all. At the end, they decided that Mr. and Mrs. Kavanagh won the contest for being the funniest and Grandmother Trevelyan won for the most meaningful.

XxXxXx

After saying goodbye to the Kavanaghs and Grandmother Trevelyan, Anastasia curled up in the oversized armchair with Christian by the fire while everyone sat around talking and drinking eggnog, hot apple cider, and whiskey.

She molded her body to him and tucked both arms between them. "Hold me." She demanded, feeling the need to be close to him.

"Demanding little thing." He smiled and put the arm that wasn't holding his glass around her and kissed her temple. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him, enjoying the warmth from the fire and the sounds of everyone talking around her.

"Tired, baby?"

She nodded against his shoulder.

"Want me to carry you upstairs?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to go to bed, just yet."

"You need to put your feet up and get some rest." Christian argued.

"Just five minutes. Please? I want to snuggle with you."

"Alright." He set his glass on the side table and turned so that she curled against his chest and wrapped both arms around her. "I'll hold you."

She smiled, knowing she won. "Thank you."

She dozed in and out for a few minutes, waking up every time someone laughed or spoke louder than normal.

"Christian? Up to playing some pool upstairs?" Anastasia heard Elliot ask.

She opened her eyes and saw him looking down at her. "Anastasia's tired. I don't think-"

She sat up. "Don't be silly. I'll go to bed. Enjoy some guy time for once." She stretched and stood up, kissing her father before turning back to Christian.

"Get it set up, Elliot. I'm going to walk her up."

She said goodnight to everyone and took Christian's outstretched hand so he could escort her to the room. He helped her change into her nightgown and pulled the duvet down for her. Once she was situated, he covered her up and leaned down to kiss her lips. "I like you pregnant. You're needy and let me help you."

She rolled her eyes. "Then let's not ruin it by pointing it out."

"You sure you're okay by yourself?" Christian looked uncertain.

She smiled at him and reached up, rubbing thumb against his scruffy cheek. "It's your parents house, baby. You'll only be one floor away in the gamesroom. I'll be okay. I'm just going to go to bed. You'll be here before I even wake up." Christian had been worried about Anastasia since she started having Braxton-Hicks randomly throughout the week. He had called Dr. Greene twice that week about it and both times the doctor reminded him that it was normal and that Anastasia would know if there was a reason to worry. The contractions only lasted a few minutes and they wouldn't reappear again for days.

"Alright. If you're sure." He turned and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. "Your phone is right here. If something happens and you can't get out of bed, call me."

She fought another eye roll and nodded. "Yes, Christian."

He leaned in again and kissed her, making her giggle. "Go! They're waiting for you."

"Alright...I'm going." He rubbed her stomach and stood to leave.

"Will you leave it open?" Anastasia asked when she saw him start to close it.

"Of course, baby. Good night. I'll be up soon."

XxXxXx

 _"Ana…Ana baby…it's time to push."_

 _Anastasia opened her eyes and saw Christian above her, holding her hand. They were in an all white room and she was in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown. Her feet were in stirrups and Christian began to lift the head of the bed so that she was almost sitting and her knees were close to her sides. She saw Dr. Greene sitting between her legs in a blue paper gown and gloves._

 _"You need to push Anastasia." The doctor demanded._

 _"But it's not time, yet!" Anastasia said, panicked._

 _"Yes, it is, baby. You need to push. They need to come out." Christian urged._

 _"But-"_

 _"Anastasia! Push. I want those babies!" Dr. Greene told her._

 _"Wha…what?" Anastasia looked down at her._

 _"You heard me." Dr. Greene's voice morphed into one she hadn't heard in years. "They're mine Anastasia." Dr. Greene's face blurred for a second and changed into a man's face…her birth father's face. "You will have my children, Anastasia. Be Daddy's good girl. Do as I say. Push."_

 _Anastasia was panic stricken. "No!" She told him._

 _"Don't make me take them by force little girl."_

 _She looked at Christian and his eyes were wide. "Do as he says, Ana!"_

 _"What? Why?"_

 _She heard a tapping sound and the room disappeared in smoke and it was suddenly pitch black. There was another tap._

 _"What is that sound?" She said into the darkness._

 _She turned her head and blinked a few times and noticed that she was back in Christian's childhood room. The window caught her eye and she saw her father's face again with both hands spread out against the window, both of them covered in black gloves instead of blue hospital gloves._

 _She groaned and closed her eyes. Why was he dominating her dreams suddenly? She hadn't dreamt of him in years._

She started to stir and suddenly became alert. She sat straight up in bed and looked at the window again. _He's gone._

"CHRISTIAN!" She screamed bloody murder and jumped out of bed, making her way to the door. There was no way in hell she was going to be left alone now. As she pulled the cracked door open Christian and some of the others hurred in; Christian still had a pool stick still in his hand.

She threw herself at him and sobbed into his chest. He immediately dropped his pool stick and held her to him.

"What is it?! What happened?! Are you hurt?" Christian was white as a ghost and grabbed her face so she'd look at him. "Tell me what happened." He told her sternly.

She was trying, but panicking so much she couldn't form the words while she sobbed. She tried to suck in breaths, but they wouldn't come and her panic attack hit her full force. She pointed to the window to try and communicate and Taylor and Sawyer slipped past them to search the room.

Christian kept her in his arms and moved them over to the chair where her robe was lying. He grabbed it and wrapped it around her, protecting her modesty by covering her chest where her swollen breasts and nipples protruded through the silk of her nightgown. He pushed down on her shoulders so that she'd sit and kneeled down in front of her.

Anastasia looked back towards the window, paranoid.

"Ana…you're scaring me. Please tell me what happened." He cupped her face and turned it so that she was looking at him.

"Muh…muh…my da….da…da…" She chest was heaving and she couldn't make out the words. She covered her face in her hands and tried to find some sort of control over herself.

"Ana…Ana." Christian pulled her hands off her face and placed them on his chest. He took a deep breath and she watched his chest and her hands move. "Do it with me."

He breathed in again and she mimicked him, although her breath came in more as a shudder than a cleansing breath. He exhaled loudly and she did the same. After five or so more breaths, she finally calmed down enough to speak.

"Good girl. Now…tell me what happened."

Anastasia's head turned toward the window, causing Christian to look, too.

"I heard a tapping noise while I was sleeping and I looked toward the window and he...my birth father...was outside the window, looking at me. I…I closed my eyes, thinking I was dreaming because I was having a nightmare about him right before…but then I woke up more and realized I was awake." Anastasia took another deep breath while Taylor stepped over towards the window and opened it, sticking his head out to look all around.

He looked back at Christian and shook his head, indicating that there was nothing out there, before taking out his phone and stepping toward the opposite corner of the room to speak.

Christian sighed and took both of her hands. "Baby...are you sure you weren't just having a night terror? We are three floors up."

Anastasia forehead wrinkled. She knew that night terrors felt so much realer than just regular dreams, but she was sure she was awake for this. She couldn't be seeing things. "I swear I was awake, Christian! What if he's still out there."

He reached up and pushed her hair out of her face. "You are safe, baby. I know you think you were awake...but just think about it for a second. How would he know that we were at my parents tonight? And if he did know...how would he just happen to know where my old room is? Three floors of windows and he just happens to pick the right one?"

Anastasia frowned. "But..." She sighed. "I guess you're right...but...what if I'm right? What if he gets in?"

"Ana..." Christian's father spoke, startling her. She realized for the first time that the room was filled with people. "We have the best alarm system available. I assure you...if anyone tried to sneak in, we would know. Even when its disarmed, anytime a door or window opens, it beeps. If glass is smashed, the alarm goes off."

Anastasia frowned. It had seemed so real to her. She looked down at her hands and nodded.

"Why don't we sleep in the den tonight? There are no windows and the couch has a pull out bed." Christian offered, trying to ease her mind a little.

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you." She sighed and stood. "I'm sorry I scared you all. I don't know what happened."

Grace gave her a smile and hugged her tightly. "No reason to be sorry, dear. I'm starting to wonder if this room is cursed with nightmares." Grace tried to joke, but it just reminded Anastasia just how broken she was. Christian had been getting better...she was able to touch him however she wanted and he could take being hugged by his family now. As far as she knew, he hadn't had a nightmare in months and the grumpy part of him rarely made an appearance anymore. She, on the other hand, still allowed her birth father to control her emotions and what she did. He kept her from being able to have relationships with men for so many years; she lived her life in constant worry that a male would touch her and then when she finally sought help for it and started to feel like she might get over it, he was able to get out of jail and now she lived her life in constant fright, worrying he'd somehow get to her or Christian. Now, she couldn't even have a holiday without ruining it for everyone because of her fear of him.

Grace released her and turned to the others. "I'm going to make some hot chocolate to try and calm everyone's nerves. Let's go." She put her hand on Elliot's and Mia's backs to subtly remove them from the room. Kate followed behind her fiance, leaving Ray, Taylor, Sawyer, Logan, and Gail with them.

"We should get going, but I want to do sweep before we go. Something just feels off to me." Sawyer said, giving Taylor a look.

Taylor nodded. "I'll go with you and then we'll leave. It's getting late."

Ray caught Anastasia's eye and her face went red and she looked down. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Are you alright, babygirl?"

She nodded against his chest. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I guess I went a little crazy for a minute."

"Don't be. You were terrified, Anastasia. God, Annie...when I heard you scream...I think it aged me twenty years. Getting to you was the longest thirty seconds of my life."

Guilt bubbled up in her chest, making her cry again. "I didn't mean to scare you...I...oh, god...I'm sorry, Daddy." She hugged him tight against her.

"Hey...no, no. It is not your fault. Just relax, Annie. It's over. Let Christian take care of you. I'm going to join Taylor and Sawyer and help look through the house just in case. He took her by the upper arms and passed her to Christian, making her giggle a little.

Christian smiled at her and wiped at her wet face. "Now that's a sound I like to hear." He sighed and kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheekbones, and her lips. "I was terrified of what could have happened. The things that went through my mind..." He exhaled deeply and held her tight against him. "Thank God you are okay."

"I'm sorry, Christian. I've ruined everyone's night..."

"All that matters is that you are okay. You haven't ruined anything, baby. Believe me...my family is use to this excitement at night. They've ended up in my room on more than one occasion at night. Don't worry about it."

She didn't answer him, but her heart sunk at the thought of little Christian screaming for his family in the middle of the night.

"Do you want to go to bed now? I'll carry our pillows down and make the bed."

She shook her head against his chest and looked up at him. "I don't think I could go back to bed just yet. Besides, hot chocolate sounds kind of good right now."

He grinned. "Let's go, then."


	48. Chapter 47

It was the end of January and there had been no sign of Anastasia's birth father. The night Anastasia had thought she saw him in the window, the ground had been too frozen for there to be any footprints and they searched the house and the land surrounding without any sign of anyone. They had successfully convinced Anastasia that she had just been dreaming, but she and Christian still slept in the den that night. There had not been one sighting of her father since that night. He seemed to have dug his heels in wherever he was staying, and refused to show his face. No matter how many times Christian screamed, threw a fit, stomped, or threatened to fire his men over the lack of information it did no good. No one knew where Frank was or if he was even still in Seattle.

Anastasia wondered if they would live on red alert for the rest of their lives- not knowing where he was, what he was doing or if he was still a predator. The thought of him being unaccounted for after the children were born, made her sick to her stomach. She didn't want him to even get a glimpse of them, let alone get close enough to touch them. She prayed every night that he would pop up somewhere or that he'd do something stupid and end up back in prison.

She was sitting at her desk, doing her own work when she heard commotion coming from Christian's office from the open bathroom doors. Before she could eavesdrop, she heard the click of the bathroom door on his side and the commotion seemed to stop. She had a feeling that the men were now whispering back and forth, trying to keep something private.

She frowned, wondering what was going on. She distinctly heard Taylor's voice so she knew it almost definitely had to do with some sort of security situation. She didn't like that they were being secretive about it. They were purposely keeping her in the dark about whatever it was. Christian had been very worried about upsetting her since she was heavily pregnant, but it wasn't as if she'd break. It irked her to no end that he was being hush-hush about things now. She was his wife; if it was something so important, she had the right to know about it.

Her computer pinged, telling her that she had a faculty meeting in ten minutes, reminding her that she was supposed to be printing off the 2012 job descriptions for her company. Most hadn't changed, but everyone was required to sign new HR policies at the beginning of every year. The head of HR would be heading the meeting, going over each policy individually, using powerpoints to present each one. The meeting was supposed to last hours.

She rubbed her face, not looking forward to it. Sitting so long made her back hurt and her legs go numb. She'd have to stand in the back for half of the meeting wearing high heels since she wouldn't have the luxury of slipping her shoes off like she usually did in her office. She printed of the final job descriptions and grabbed the large pile of papers before hurrying off to the conference room.

XxXxXx

The meeting ended up lasting over three hours and she felt starved by the time it ended. Most of the faculty had grabbed something to eat before the meeting, but she hadn't thought about it and it was now after two in the afternoon. She knew Christian wouldn't be happy with her. She went in search of Sawyer so they could travel downstairs to the deli across the street. He wasn't in the security office or Taylor's.

She tried to open the door to Christian's office, but it was locked.

"What in the world?" She mumbled to herself.

"Mrs. Grey..." Andrea called from the front desk, standing to get her attention. Anastasia made her way over to Andrea for an explanation.

"Mr. Grey left about a half an hour ago with Taylor. I was told to let you know that Sawyer is training the new GP security, but is available if you need anything." Andrea informed. Anastasia frowned and looked back at the locked door. He never left without telling her where he was going.

"Thanks, Andrea."

Anastasia made her way back to her own office before pulling her phone out to call him. He answered on the second ring.

"Ana? Are you alright, baby?" Christian asked, worried.

"I was just wondering where you went? You never leave without telling me where you've run off to." Anastasia explained.

"I-" He began, but someone in the background cut him off. "Christian, darling. Who are you talking to?"

Anastasia's blood ran cold and she lowered the phone from her ear.

"Ana, baby-" She heard his voice before she hit the end call button.

XxXxXx

 ** _Earlier that morning, according to Christian_**

Christian was sitting in his office, going over plans on a hostile takeover with Ros. He hated when it came to that, because everything was so messy. It would be so much easier if the company would surrender peacefully.

There was a knock on the door and Taylor entered, looking frazzled and much unlike himself.

"Mr. Grey! I need to speak with you! It's of an urgent matter!" Sawyer stepped in behind him and Christian made eye contact with both men and realized just what Taylor was referring to.

"Of course. Ros...we'll finish this up later." Christian said, standing and nodding toward her.

"No problem, C." Ros gave him a worried look before disappearing and shutting the door behind her.

"Okay, what is it?" Christian asked, a multitude of emotions running through him. It felt as if his heart would beat out of his button-down at any moment and go flying across the room.

"We have some news on Frank." Taylor scratched his temple. "And you aren't going to like it."

"What the fuck, Taylor! Just spit it out alrea-" Christian's eyes caught the open bathroom door. "Wait."

Once he shut the bathroom door, he turned and nodded. "Now continue. Tell me everything. I don't want to have to pull it out of you!"

Taylor nodded. "McLaggen and DeStefano were making their rounds this morning when DeStefano got a call from his 'friend' at one of the local holes. He let is slip that a man that fit the description of Frank came by the bar for one drink and was on his way out and into a black 2011 Jaguar with the plates FE1345. Luckily, they were around the corner and followed him. The plates ended up being phony. There was nothing that came up in the system. DeStefano noticed what looked like tape on the back numbers. They followed him into a gated community and were denied entry at first. DeStefano sweet talked the woman into letting them in, but by the time they got in, he was no where to be found. He ducked in."

Christian couldn't help, but smirk a little. They managed to narrow down their search to mere miles. He knew putting DeStefano on the case was a good idea. His grandfather was the famous Sam 'Mad Sam' DeStafano from the Chicago Outfits-a Chicago mafia ring that specialized in gambling. Mad Sam was a sociopath and left a pretty long bloody trail behind him before he was shot and killed. The DeStefano's don't play games; the get down to business and won't allow anything to get in their way.

"Which community?" Christian asked.

"Elena Lincoln's." Taylor answered, frowning. "She has a black Jaguar with the license plate EL1315." Taylor handed him a piece of paper showing how the plates could be changed with some tape.

Christian's stomach plummeted. "Fuck. Fuck!" Christian grabbed the first thing he could find on his desk and threw it at the wall. It ended up being a crystal candy dish that shattered all over the carpet. The evil bitch was even more evil than he ever could have imagined. "That bitch! That..."He growled, too angry to continue. He paced around the room, clenching his fists.

"We have to go to her. We have to get into her house. We need to find him." Christian announced, pacing.

"Sir?" Taylor asked, worried. Elena would suspect something if Christian came storming in with multiple men.

"I'll call her and tell her I'd like to talk to her privately at home."

"What if she says no?" Sawyer asked, unsure.

A grin appeared on Christian's face. "She won't." He knew how stuck she was on him. "Sawyer, you stay here and continue with your day as planned so Ana won't suspect anything. I don't want to tell her anything until we have all the facts. Taylor...you're coming with me. Get DeStefano on the phone and have him and McLaggen meet us in the parking garage. We'll hide them in the back and they'll stay there until we need them."

Christian grabbed his suit jacket and shrugged it on. "I'll call her on the way. I don't want to waste any time."

"Sir...don't forget your meeting with Daniel Inouye!" Taylor reminded.

"Who?"

Taylor looked surprised by his question. "The congressman from Hawaii, sir."

Christian shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Oh, yes. Right. Just lost my head for a second." Senator Inouye was very a respected and intelligent man and Christian looked forward to working with him. It had taken almost two months to get him to Seattle and he wasn't willing to pass up the opportunity. Elena would have to wait a little longer.

"Have them watch the perimeter until I'm finished with the senator. Then we'll go."

XxXxXx

Christian dialed Elena's number while he sat in the back of the SUV. Taylor was driving and the other two were laying flat in the back, the blacked-out windows making them impossible to see.

"I knew you'd come back to me." Elena answered.

Christian cringed just hearing her voice. "Hello, Elena."

"What do you need, darling?" Elena purred.

"Are you home?"

"Yes."

"Good. I need to see you. Alone. I'm on my way." Christian answered.

Elena practically moaned into the phone, making Christian shudder. He swallowed the bile that was rising in his throat while she spoke. "I'll slip into something more comfortable, darling." With that, she ended the call.

Christian shoved the phone back in his pocket and pressed his palms into his eye sockets, his elbows resting against his thighs. He was sick to his stomach about all that had happened. On top of that, he was now going to have to see his abuser again. He thought that she was finally out of his life.

"Are you sure you are up to this, sir? We can find another way." Taylor asked, watching Christian in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, I am sure."

When they pulled up to the gate, it automatically opened for them. Elena must have called to let the attendant know they were coming. Christian pulled out his phone and looked through the pictures of his pregnant wife while he took slow, deep breaths to calm his nerves. He had to remind himself that he was doing this for her-for their children. He could deal with Elena one last time if it meant getting that Frank fucker.

Before he knew it, they had pulled into her driveway and she was standing on the porch, waiting for him. She was in a red silk robe that stopped right at her knees. Christian cringed at the sight. How could knees have saggy skin? Seeing her, he could tell that she had more plastic surgery done to her face and her smile looked more like a grimace.

Taylor opened the door to the SUV and Christian slid out. When Elena got her first look at him, she took a deep breath in, her chest expanding, as if she couldn't believe he was real. She put both of her hands on her chest and sighed deeply.

"I've missed you, darling. How have you been Christian?" She asked, linking her arm in his and ushering him inside. Taylor followed closely behind.

Christian swallowed thickly, trying to keep himself from being physically sick. "I'm fine, Elena. And you?"

"I'm getting along. My boy, would you like some wine?"

Christian's eyes narrowed at her nickname before he collected himself and returned his expression to impassive. "Sure." He said, flatly.

She left him in the sitting room and hurried off to the kitchen. He and Taylor began to look around, trying to find evidence of someone else living there. On the side table he saw a gossip rag magazine with his and Anastasia's picture on the front. He picked it up to look at it more closely.

They were out on the street in Seattle, bundled up in their peacoats and scarfs, waiting in line to get a taco from Anastasia's favorite taco stand. The cover read 'Is it multiples for the King and Queen of Seattle? We've got the inside scoop on page 12!'

Christian smiled down at the picture, remembering that day. Anastasia had begged him all morning for a taco from that particular stand only to decide to get nachos instead once she got there. Once they got home, she complained that they were no good and she wished she would have gotten a taco like she wanted in the first place. While she curled up in front of the fire reading, he had Taylor go out and fetch her one, surprising her and making her give both he and Taylor a kiss on the cheek. Taylor had gone beet red and grinned like a madman at the small gesture of affection. Christian had tried to be angry with her about this, but Taylor's reaction was too priceless.

He heard Elena's heels come clicking across the hardwood and looked at her, holding the magazine up. "A little light reading?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

She gave him a guilty grin. "How else am I supposed to get my information, Christian?"

He rolled his eyes. "You don't need any information, Elena. It isn't your business."

She tutted. "You _are_ my business, Christian. I worry about you. That little gold-digging bitch used her sweet facade to brainwash you into thinking you loved her. Now you're married and having children for Christ's sake! I tried to look up your prenup in public record and found nothing! Don't tell me you didn't even use a prenup, Christian! What are you thinking?"

Christian's blood began to boil. He clenched his fists so tight that he could feel his nails biting into his palms, but he didn't care; he mustn't lose his cool.

"Elena..." He began through a clenched jaw. "Stop putting so much energy into me. You are no longer apart of my life or Anastasia's life. I came here today to ask you about Frank Lambert." Christian studied Elena's face closely while he spoke, refusing to blink so he wouldn't miss any expression. Her eyes widened a fraction of an inch before she put her poker face on.

"Who?" She asked, innocently.

"Don't play stupid, Elena."

Her face scrunched up and she looked remarkably like a goldfish with her overly botoxed lips sticking out. Christian wrinkled his nose at the sight.

"If you truly don't know who I am talking about, then you'll let us search your house."

A small smirk formed on her face. "Fine. Go ahead. Search."

Christian gave a small nod and looked at Taylor who spoke into his sleeve quietly, requesting that the others come in. He stood awkwardly with Elena while they waited for the other two to enter.

Once the others made their way in and stood next to Taylor, Christian turned to Elena.

"Mrs. Lincoln, this would go much smoother if you'd cooperate." DeStefano urged. "Where is Frank Lambert?"

"I know no one by that name. How dare you speak out of turn! You work for Christian. You should know better than to speak without permission." Elena ground out, obviously trying to rile Christian up.

"I will decide if an employee needs chastised, Elena. Now...Keys?" Christian said, refusing to take the bait.

"Huh?" Elena stood there, dumbfounded.

"Keys?" He repeated, demanding more than questioning.

"To what, Christian?" Elena asked, feigning innocence.

"Don't play stupid, Elena. To your chamber downstairs. I don't want one room left unsearched. If the fucker is here, we will find him."

Elena rolled her eyes and reached into her robe from her chest, pulling out a large, gold key. "I was so hoping you and I would be the ones using it, Christian. Such a waste." She shook her head and handed it to Taylor, who pulled out a handkerchief before taking it. The look on his face almost made Christian laugh out loud. Taylor was definitely not happy with having to touch something she pulled out of her cleavage.

"I'll make sure Elena keeps put while you search." Christian told the others as they began to disperse. "Don't forget to check the garage and the licence plate."

Elena opened her mouth to speak and he raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms, daring her. Instead, she lifted her glass of wine and took a drink.

"I need another glass of wine." When seeing his face, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, for goodness sake Christian! I'll be a room away! It's not like I'm going to make a run for it." She told him as she headed toward the kitchen.

Christian sighed and looked around the room. He couldn't believe that this use to be what he called his oasis...his getaway. Looking at it now-the dark furniture, green curtains, the wallpaper, even the _smell_ -everything just made his stomach twist. If it wasn't for Anastasia, he might have never realized just how fucked up this whole situation was. Seeing that what happened to her was abuse made him realize that his wasn't far off from the same. He spent years telling himself that he gave consent, but looking back at it now...knowing that there was no way at fifteen he could have had a clear enough head to give consent-be old enough to give her that...just made him want her to suffer. But now... _now that he knew..._ knew that she had some sort of relationship with Anastasia's abuser...well, now he just wanted both of them dead. They deserved to burn in hell for that they've done...what they're still doing to Anastasia and to him. _To their family for fucks sake!_

He felt his phone vibrate and he pulled it out, immediately answering when he saw that it was Anastasia.

"Ana? Are you alright, baby?" He asked, worried.

"I was just wondering where you went? You never leave without telling me where you've run off to." Anastasia explained.

"I-"

"Christian, darling. Who are you talking to?" Elena asked loudly, making him wince. _That bitch._

"Ana! baby, listen to- hello?" He pulled the phone away from his ear and saw she had hung up. "Fuck! You are one insidious bitch, you know that?"

She shrugged. "You should have told her where you were going, Christian. Keeping secrets isn't good for the marriage, darling. It's only been-what? 6 months?" She tutted and shook her head.

"What I do in my marriage is my business, not yours. You had no right to interfere!"

Elena rolled her eyes and went towards the window to look out. Christian stood there, continuing to seethe. He just wanted to call Anastasia and explain everything...make everything okay again, but he knew he had to get all the information before he sat her down to tell her. He needed to be sure first. On top of having to explain to her that her abuser had been cooped up with his abuser, he had to clean up the mess that Elena had created for them. He pulled out his phone and sent a text instead.

 _*I will explain everything tonight. Please, take Sawyer and go home.*_

"So..." Elena started, cutting the silence. "Is it true?"

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Is _what_ true?" He practically growled out.

He watched as her eyes wandered over to the magazine on the side of the table. His jaw clenched. She had mother-fucking balls to bring that up right now.

"My family is none of your business, Elena."

She rolled her eyes at him and took another swig from her glass. "It wasn't that long ago that I _was_ part of that family, Christian."

He took a deep breath, reminding himself to keep calm. "You were _never_ a part of my family, Elena. You were nothing, but a master manipulator. You took advantage of all of us. We were all just pawns in your little game. You're bitter, because we won't allow you to control the situation anymore."

Christian could see the fire building in Elena's eyes. He'd pissed her off. _Good._

"Manipulator? You _wanted_ it, Christian! You _begged_ for it!"

Christian cringed at the memory. "I know." He shook his head. "I was a child. I didn't know any better."

"You were not a child! You were fifteen! You were extremely mature for your age and you had the body of twenty year old!" Elena took a step toward Christian and grinned. "A very handsome one at that." She reached up to touch his face and he stepped back.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Do you honestly think... _my god, Elena!_ You are foul! Can you not see that just looking at you sickens me? I wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for Anastasia. Keeping her safe...our children safe...is my number one priority!"

Elena's eyebrow rose. "Children, huh? Plural?"

Christian rubbed his hands over his face, frustrated. "Really? That's what you take away from all that?"

"Do you realize, Christian, that everything you do is about that ridiculous girl? You've put her on a fucking pedestal! When was the last time you've done something for you? What happened to the Christian I knew? She's sucking the life out of you! I care about you, Christian! I hate to see you waste your life on this."

Christian let out a bark of a laugh. "She's sucking the life out of me? She's given me a life worth living! I was a robot until I met her. The same thing every fucking day of my life. She came around and made me want so much more. She's my lifeline. She makes me happier than I ever thought I could be...and now...she's carrying my children...Jesus...I didn't think one man could feel so much joy at once! I never thought that'd I'd be lucky or blessed enough to have a life like this...but now that I have it, I will do anything... _anything_ to keep it. If you honestly care for me at all, then just be happy for me! Just cut the ties!"

"YOU CAME TO ME!" Elena screamed, surprising Christian.

"YOU ARE AIDING AND ABETTING THE MAN WHO MOLESTED MY WIFE!" Christian yelled back at her. He cleared his throat, composing himself. "What choice did I have?"

"I am doing no such thing!"

"Tell me, Elena...how much information have you given him? Did you happen to tell him where my parents live? Where my bedroom is? How long have you known him? How long have you been giving him information? How long have you known he was Anastasia's father?" Things started to click in Christian's brain.

"I don't know what man you're even talking about!" Elena barked.

"Tell me...how many times did you have dinner with my parents while she and my little sister sat there, oblivious to the fact that you had a relationship with the very man that gave her nightmares?"

"You've gone off the deep end, Christian! I want you out of my house!" She looked behind Christian. "All of you!"

Christian turned towards his security. McLaggen was holding onto what looked like some clothes.

"The only things I found were some men's clothes, size large, and sneakers, size ten."

Christian turned to Elena, looking for an explanation.

"What? I'm not allowed to have a boy toy, anymore?"

"How old?"

"For fucks sake, Christian! He's twenty-one if you must know! You act like I'm some sort of monster!"

"You are." He retorted before turning back to his men. "What about the car?"

Taylor shook his head. "Plates didn't have any tape on them. They were sticky in places, though...didn't find any signs of a male."

DeStefano looked at Elena. "Mrs. Lincoln...do you happen to have a cigarette?"

Elena looked at him, confused. "Uh...yes?"

"May I bum one?"

She blinked at him a few times and then seemed to collect herself. "Yes, but then you all must leave." She pulled out a pack of menthols.

DeStefano raised an eyebrow. "Menthols, huh? I think I'll pass. Thanks anyway. I found these in the den...maybe I'll just take one of these." He pulled a pack of Camels out of his pocket.

Elena's eyes widened at the sight.

He pretended not to notice her shocked face and continued to look the pack over. "Hmm...there are initials on the side and a half smoked cig in the pack..." DeStafano commented, innocently. "I remember I use to write my initials on my cigs when I did my jail time... just so I'd know if some asswipe stole my pack. Got into such a habit that I still do it." He scratched the back of his well oiled hair before pulling out a small black comb and straightening it back out. "F.L...F.L..." He pretended to mull over the initials in his head. "F.L. Well...the initials could be anyone's couldn't they?" He asked, playing with Elena.

She gave a small nod.

"But...let's cut the bullshit, _Missus Lincoln._ From where I come from, statistics play a large part in everything we do...and let's face it...the odds that F.L. could be anyone else other than the man we came to take, are slim to none. Now...this could go one of two ways... you could cooperate and help us take him down...or...you can keep up this innocent routine and the police will be the least of your worries." DeStefano threatened.

Elena gasped. "Christian would never-!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." DeStefano interrupted, shaking his head. "You see...the DeStefanos don't take to lying very kindly. You lied to my face, _Missus Lincoln._ You've officially made it personal. I might be employed under Mr. Grey right now, but one day I won't be. So. You can either cooperate with Mr. Grey now and do us all a favor by coming clean...or you can keep tight lipped and find yourself face to face with a man in a suit one day...a very _handsome_ man, if I may add. I promise that it'll be when you least expect it and that you won't know what hit you."

Christian couldn't help the smirk that was plastered on his face as he watched Elena start to lose her nerve. He was highly entertained by the fact that a man that had never even met her until today could make her cower in her boots.

Elena and DeStefano seemed to be having a staring contest until she blinked a few times and cleared her throat. Realizing she was cowering in front of the men, she righted herself and stood tall, trying to find her confidence, even though the paleness in her face remained.

"And I don't take kindly to threats!" She barked back, her voice suddenly an octave higher.

"Well then, it's good there were none." DeStefano answered simply.

"What the hell do you call it then?" Elena asked, almost manic.

He gave her a right-sided grin and shoved his hands in his pockets. "A promise."

"GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!"

XxXxXx

Christian spent the ride back to the apartment mulling over everything that had happened. Should he call the police? Should he just leave his men along the outside of the perimeter, hoping the fucker was stupid enough to show his face again? Was what they had done even legal? Would the police take him seriously? DeStefano had taken the one piece of evidence that showed he had been there. He hoped that the half smoked cigarette had enough saliva on it to leave DNA. Even if it did, he didn't know if it would be legal evidence...he highly doubted it. He'd leave his men at the perimeter and give them strict instructions to take him to the courthouse if they caught him. He had violated his parole and would be going back to prison...but for how long? How long before he would be back out, looking for Anastasia again. Possibly even looking for their daughter...The thought sickened and angered him at the same time.

Before Anastasia, he wouldn't think twice about sending a man like DeStefano to get rid of a problem like this...but now...he had too much at risk. If it led back to him, he'd be thrown in jail. He needed to be free to take care of his family. They depended on him to be the head of the family-to keep them safe and happy. He just hoped that the fucker would die behind bars before he got out again.

Seeing Elena was harder than he expected it to be. It left him so nauseated that even his stomach muscles ached. He needed to get to Anastasia. He needed her close and to make things right so that he could love on her...so that she could do the same to him. A part of him wanted to sob into her neck and cry it out, but he knew it would do no good and just make her more upset.

When he got to their apartment, he found her in the bedroom, crying into a pillow. His heart clenched painfully for her; guilt spiraled from his chest down to every nerve ending he had, leaving his body numb. Once she became aware of his presence, she sat up quickly and wiped at her face, sniffling. He sat on the edge of the bed and handed her a tissue from the nightstand.

"Why?! Wha-no, just why?! Why would you do this to me?" Anastasia asked, tearfully.

"I haven't-just listen!"

"Have you been seeing subs at Elena's?"

"What?!" The guilt and hurt he felt for her melted, anger replacing them quickly.

"Have you suddenly decided that you can't live without BDSM or has this been going on the whole time? Is it me? Am I too disgusting to look at now-"

"Wait just a god-damned minute!" Christian barked, jumping up. "You think-you honestly think that I would betray you like that? Betray our _children_ like that? You think that I would _cheat_ on you...and do it at _Elena's_ while you were carrying my children? _What the fuck, Ana?!_ After everything we have been through...I thought you trusted me! You know me better than anyone! You think I'm that much of a monster-that I could just do that to you?" Christian turned away from her and grunted in frustration. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He had to remind himself that she was his wife...his very pregnant wife that was hormonal, emotional, and self-conscious.

"You were the one that went running to Elena's! You could have disappeared to anywhere else in the whole fucking United States and I wouldn't be as angry as I am right now! You are the one who betrayed _me_ , Christian! You disappeared! You didn't tell me where you were going of even that you were leaving! And then, when I do call you Elena's speaking in the background! What am I supposed to think?! Tell me! Tell me, Christian! Why else would you be there?!" Anastasia slammed her fists down on the bed, making it bounce.

"I told you I would explain when I got home." Christian said through clenched teeth.

"Then you better start fucking explaining! And you better have one hell of an explanation!" If looks could kill, Christian knew he'd definitely be dead by this point.

He took a deep breath and sat back down on the side of the bed, resting a hand on her stomach, reminding himself again that she was pregnant and to keep himself reigned in.

"I am not cheating on you. I never would." He shook his head. "It's very upsetting to me that I have to keep telling you that. I need you to trust me." Christian looked up at her and noticed she looked like she was going to burst into tears all over again. "Just let me explain myself first." She gave a small nod and chewed on her bottom lip.

"This morning Taylor rushed in to tell me that they spotted Frank and followed him." Christian told her, watching her closely. He didn't want her to fall apart.

Her eyes widened. "Keep going."

He lifted her shirt enough to see her stomach and rubbed it. He needed the skin-to-skin with her and the closeness with the babies. "They caught him going into a gated community...Elena's gated community."

"What?" Anastasia breathed out. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Completely serious. He was caught in a vehicle that matched hers, but he had fake license plates. When I found this out, I had to confront her. I took Taylor and two more of my men and went to her house."

"Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

Christian shrugged. "I didn't want to upset you without getting the facts. We didn't know if it was a coincidence or not."

"That'd be one hell of a coincidence, Mr. Grey." She commented, making him crack a smile.

"Tell me about it." He sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to keep you calm until I knew there really was something to fret about. I need you to know, that everything I do is for you...for our family...and I just had your safety in mind. I might have gone about it the wrong way, but I only had good intentions."

Anastasia leaned forward to kiss his lips. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions without listening to you first. I heard her voice and just thought the worst. I felt like my whole world was falling apart. I didn't know what to do. All I kept thinking was that I was carrying two children and that I didn't know what their future was going to look like. I was so worried they'd be brought up in a broken home, hopping from house to house."

Christian frowned at the thought. "That will never happen. You are everything I could ever want. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on." He looked down at her stomach and rubbed his hand in large circles around her swollen belly.

"Even when I'm fat and swollen?" Anastasia asked, pouting.

He chuckled lightly. "You are not fat. You are a little swollen..." he mentioned, looking at her feet, "but it doesn't bother me one bit. Your body is under immense stress right now and swollen feet and ankles are the least of its problem. There is nothing more sexier than seeing my wife pregnant with my children." He cupped her bulging stomach in both of his hands. " _This_ is all mine. No one else will ever have this. You're mine, they're mine. They're ours. I will be so happy when they come...but a part of my is going to miss all this skin." He ran his hands over her stomach and her eyes widened.

"Why?"

He smiled. "You know I love skin-on-skin, Ana. Now, I've got more. More to touch, to feel, to kiss, to see. And no one else gets that luxury. Only me. My Ana...my sweet girl." He leaned forward and forced both of them into a lying position so he could hold her. "All mine."

She giggled and shook her head, turning towards him. "So possessive." She admonished, lightly.

He gave her a boyish grin while he continued to rub her bare stomach. "Yep."

"So what happened at Elena's?" She asked, curious.

"We didn't find him, unfortunately. I would have already told you if we did...but we did find a pack of cigarettes and some clothes that could be his." Christian decided against telling her about DeStefano's threats, in case Elena did come up missing.

Anastasia frowned. "So what now?"

"We'll keep a watch on the perimeter so that if he steps out of the gates, we'll be able to grab him and take him back to prison."

She searched his face. "How are you feeling? Seeing Elena, I mean?"

"Just hearing her voice made my stomach churn. I was sick to my stomach the whole time I stood in that house with her." He sighed and cuddled into her, snuggling into her neck. "I remember being so anxious to spend time there when I was younger. I would do anything to have an excuse to be there...but now, everything makes me sick just looking at it. It all reminds me of how manipulating she was, how selfish and disgusting she is." Christian shuddered at the thought and Anastasia put an arm around him and held him tight against her for comfort.

"I couldn't wait to get back to you." He whispered

"Did she touch you?"

"God no! She tried, but I wouldn't let her."

Anastasia tucked her chin into her chest and kissed the top of his head. "Good." She mumbled into his hair. "I'm sorry about all of this, Christian. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that Elena and my father have some sort of connection...that there's a possibility that they have known each other for a long time...but I don't want to dwell on that now. I want to put all my energy into making you feel better...making you forget her."

Christian grinned into neck and hummed. "I like the sound of that."

"I thought you might. What do you want me to do?" Anastasia asked.

"Right now, I want us to get naked and take a nap. I want you to play with my hair until I fall asleep and then when we wake, I want to eat dinner, take a bath together and then come back to bed so I can bury myself inside of you until we pass out." Christian wanted to sink right into her now, but he was emotionally and physically exhausted. His stomach was still upset and he just needed the closeness.

Anastasia smiled. "Sounds wonderful. Will you undress me?"

"Just when I thought it couldn't get any better..." Christian flirted, winking at her. He immediately raised to his knees so he could pull her cami off. Her bra went next and he was rewarded with a hiss of satisfaction when it fell away.

"Better?" He asked, rubbing her sides where her bra had left marks.

"So much." She nodded, laying back against her pillow.

"I agree." He added, looking down at his beautiful, half-naked wife.

She gave him an amused smirk. "Am I going to have to finish myself, Grey? Or will you be finished by dinner?"

He smiled and yanked on her bottoms. "Just so you know, _Grey_ , I will _never_ be finished when it comes to looking at your body. I'm more than capable of taking off your clothes. I just got a little...sidetracked is all."

She giggled. "I noticed."

He pulled her bottoms past her feet and threw them dramatically across the floor. "There. Done." He looked down at himself and cocked an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"You can't undress yourself, Mr. Grey?"

"Hmm..." He looked down at his button-down. "No...I think I've forgotten. I'd hate to sleep in such an expensive shirt, Mrs. Grey. What if I ruin it?"

"Oh, well we can't have that, can we?" Anastasia climbed up on her knees, facing him. "Let me see if I remember..."

Once they were both undressed and settled into the bed, she laid back and he cuddled into her, nuzzling into her neck with his hand fanned out on her stomach. She began to run her fingers through his hair, eliciting a groan from him. He moved his head against her fingers and felt his eyes roll back into his head at the feel of the added pressure.

"Nails." He breathed.

She bent her fingers a little and started to graze her fingernails over his scalp.

"Ohhh yea." He groaned. He felt himself growing harder by the second, the sensation going straight to his groin.

"Like this?" She asked.

"Just like that. Don't stop."

She must have noticed his excitement, because her other hand crept down under the blanket and was now grasping his manhood, squeezing it at first before gripping firmly and moving it up and down along his shaft.

"Oh, fuck. Yes, baby. Oh, fuck...I love this." The feel of her nails against his scalp and her warm soft hand against his length had every nerve ending in his body pulsating in pleasure.

"It seems I'm not the only responsive one, Mr. Grey." Anastasia teased.

He gave her a cheeky grin with his eyes closed. "Just don't stop, baby. I'm so close." He reached back blindly and felt for the tissue box, trying to keep himself from coming long enough to grab a couple. He finally found what he was looking for and barely got them placed at the head of his dick before he exploded.

Anastasia pumped him through it until he put a hand on top of hers to stop her.

"So good, baby. Thank you."

"No need."

"That was a close call. That could have been messy." He panted while he wiped his dick clean, feeling his body becoming heavy and relaxed.

"Eh...it was a little messy." She mentioned, giggling.

His eyebrow rose and he flipped the covers down to see his seed running down her thigh.

"Oops." He folded the tissues and wiped her leg with a clean spot before turning and placing it on tthe nightstand. She yanked the covers back up and turned away from him so he could spoon her.

"What about you?" Christian asked.

She shook her head against her pillow. "I wanted to make you relax. Let's sleep now. I'll let you make it up to me later."

"You'll let me?" He asked, surprised by her wording.

"You heard me."

"If you care to remember, Mrs. Grey, I control your pleasure."

"If you say so."

He turned to cuddle against her and popped her on the ass. "Cheeky wench."

He heard her giggle and his hand connected again for good measure, this time making her squeak.


	49. Chapter 48

**A/N: Let's jump right into it, shall we? I pinned the different rooms to the Sound house on Pinterest; I didn't want to go into details about every single one.**

It was nearing the end of February; Christian, Anastasia, Taylor, and Gail had just finished moving into the house. Christian and Anastasia moved into the main house, while Taylor and Gail moved into the guest house, which had been redone to Taylor and Gail's specifications. Christian had felt that it was important that each couple have their own house since the babies were coming and so was Taylor and Gail's wedding. Christian knew everyone needed more privacy than ever.

Taylor and Gail's house had four bedrooms, which meant that his daughter, Sophie, could come and stay with her father whenever she liked. Anastasia was looking forward to finally meeting little Sophie; from what Taylor had said about her, Anastasia could tell she was very bright and well-mannered.

Christian and Anastasia's house had six bedrooms and baths and Christian promised Anastasia that they would fill each one of them with a new Grey of their own. She hoped he was just kidding, but by the look in his eye, she highly doubted it. The house had everything! From the essentials, to Christian's wine cellar/man cave and gym, to Anastasia's screened-in porch and library...Christian had surprised her with a closet as big as their bedroom and a theater room which quickly became her favorite napping spot.

Anastasia had free reign on the babies' room and Elliot built it into a baby suite, made for a prince and princess. It was large and airy, with lots of whites, cremes and beiges. There were two windows on each side of the room and a large bay window in the middle, equipped with a long window seat so that the children could sit and watch the sailboats on the Sound. On each side of the bay window a crib was set with a crown centered above, fabric flowing from each side. There were his and her rocking chairs for Christian and Anastasia, along with built in shelves that housed hundreds of books so that they could read to them while they rocked. Christian had caught Anastasia out of bed in the middle of the night on countless occasions in the nursery, sitting in one of the rockers or going through their drawers and refolding or reorganizing their clothes. He'd always ask her why and she would tell him that she couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep, but he knew that she was getting antsy and excited about their birth.

She was nesting...which meant the babies would be arriving soon.

XxXxXx

 _*Buzz*_

"Yes, Olivia?"

"Ana, the front desk called and said that your father was on his way up and Andrea let me know that she sent him on to Mr. Grey's office."

Anastasia grinned. "Oh, great! Thank you!" She hadn't seen her dad in more than a week and she was excited to see him. She hopped out of her seat and used the bathroom entrance into Christian's office.

"Hi, Daddy what are you-"

She stopped in her tracks when she saw that it wasn't Ray...but Frank. He had a gun and was pointing it at Christian who stood behind his desk with his hands in front of him, showing that they were empty.

Christian's eyes widened when he saw her. "Ana! GO!"

"No!" Frank growled and turned toward her.

"Please, don't!" Christian begged. "Please don't hurt her! I'll give you whatever you want!"

Anastasia slowly put her hands up in front of her.

"Hello, princess. I've missed my little girl."

Anastasia cringed.

"Move away from the door, princess."

She nodded. "Okay...no problem." She slowly started to move away from the bathroom door and looked around for a place to stand that wasn't next to her father. She noticed Christian lean down with one hand and hit the button under his desk. She let out a breath of relief, hoping that the police and security would come soon.

"Over there...on the opposite side of the room!" Frank demanded.

She gave another nod and circled around him, keeping her eyes on him as she made her way to the opposite wall, ninety-degrees from Christian.

"Wha-what do you want, Frank?" Anastasia asked, breathless.

"THAT is not my name, little girl!" She winced at his tone. "What is my name, Anastasia?"

Her eyes widened. "I-uh-I.."

"Do I need to punish you?" He turned the gun back towards Christian.

"DADDY NO! PLEASE DON'T!" She took a step forward, before remembering herself.

He looked back at her with a menacing grin. "Knew that would do it."

There was a bang on the door, startling them all. "Police!" Anastasia's eyes met Christian's. "Open the door or we break it down!"

"Break it down and there will be no one to save!" Frank threatened.

Anastasia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and cleared her mind. If they were stuck, she at least wanted some answers.

"Daddy...why are you doing this?" She asked quietly.

He turned to her and she actually saw affection in his eyes. "Ah, there's that sweet voice. Daddy's missed you, princess. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about you while I was locked away. If your mother wouldn't have interfered..." He shook his head and sighed. "We could have been happy, Anastasia. You could have been mine. Daddy never stopped thinking about how it could have been. I started to lose hope that I would ever find you again...I was sure that you had run off somewhere and gotten married and forgotten all about me...but then Elena showed up with pictures, showing me that you were still around...it gave Daddy hope."

Anastasia's forehead creased. "Pictures?" She wet her lips. "Daddy, how do you know Mrs. Lincoln?"

He smiled. "She and I go way back. We met in a BDSM club in our twenties. Don't you remember her, princess?"

Anastasia frowned and shook her head.

"She was one of the friends Daddy had in his chamber. She was brunette back then. She helped Daddy groom you, princess. She explained how to introduce you to the lifestyle."

Anastasia swallowed the bile that rose into her throat. Her heart was beating out of her chest, but she knew she needed to stay calm. The camera was taping everything; the police and security would have his confession on film.

Her eyes flicked to Christian for a split second before they turned back to her father. "Daddy...why did Mrs. Lincoln know how?"

"Because she had her own Little, silly."

"Little?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That's what Elena called her little boy...but you were always my princess. You wore the cutest little dresses with your hair in french braids and would smile up at me with those big, blue doe eyes..." Frank gave her a smile that made his eyes crinkle at the sides. "You were everything to Daddy, princess. I use to crave you...I still do. I thought you'd grow up and love Daddy like adults do. I thought we could have our own family with little girls that looked just like you...just like your mother." Anastasia saw that his eyes were swimming with tears. "I loved your mother...and she left me. I got a second chance with you...and she took you away, too. It's not fair. I want you, princess."

For the first time, Anastasia saw that her father was sick. Not just sick in a sadistic, criminal way...but mentally sick. He had in his head that what he was doing was okay...that she would actually end up with him...have a f _amily_ with him so that he could have more girls that looked like her. All this time, she had thought that he was this twisted, pervert...which he was...but it turned out that there was much more going on in his head than she thought.

"Ana..." Christian's voice was soft, but sounded panicked. Her eyes met his and he looked lost...helpless.

"Shut up!" Frank barked, lifting the gun towards Christian again that he had lowered unknowingly while talking.

"Daddy...how often did Mrs. Lincoln come see you?" She kept her tone soft and sweet, wanting to squeeze as much information out of his as possible and get his mind of Christian.

"In prison?"

She nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

"She saw me a couple times a month, always bringing me a picture of you. I had a whole stash of pictures...I wanted to hang them, so I could see you constantly...but it was too risky. I didn't want the guards to take them away. She kept me updated on how you were doing. She said you were in college and on the Dean's list...then she told me about you and him..." He looked back at Christian, a sour look on his face. "She said that you two were together and that it was dangerous...that he was in the lifestyle and that he would give you everything you wanted...and that you'd fall in love with him and forget all about me. I knew then that I had to petition to get out. I begged the warden to let me out on good behavior. While I was waiting, you got engaged and then married and pregnant...It killed me to see you in magazines with another man. You are mine, Anastasia! I couldn't believe you were pregnant...I had to see it for my own eyes...and then when I did, I could barely contain myself. You were glowing...you looked beautiful in your dress and that long hair...then, when I followed you in and caught a whiff of your perfume..." Frank rubbed his face with his free hand. "I almost took you right there. I almost kidnapped you right in front of everyone to see."

Christian growled. "She's mine! You sick fuck!"

Frank turned toward Christian. "I SAID SHUT UP! NEXT TIME YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, I'LL BLOW OUT YOUR FUCKING KNEE CAP!"

Christian opened his mouth to speak, but Anastasia stopped him. "Christian! Please..." She shook her head, begging him to stay quiet. He closed his mouth and blinked a few times, making tears fall. She mouthed 'I love you' to him while Frank was still turned. He nodded in response. She saw the bathroom door start to open and Taylor stuck just enough of his head in to look. Her eyes widened. She knew she had to keep her father looking the opposite way.

"Daddy?" She asked, calmly.

He turned back towards her and she smiled, relieved. He smiled back at her, mistaking the smile for him.

"Yes, princess?"

"What are you going to do?" She asked, cocking her head to the side and playing sweet.

"Well, Daddy's plan was to convince you to come back to me."

"How, Daddy?"

"I'd promise not to hurt Christian if you came with me. I promised Elena I wouldn't hurt him, either...so it's best if you come. Don't you want to be my princess? I love you, Anastasia."

Anastasia frowned, trying to keep him entertained while Taylor tried to keep the bathroom door from squeaking while he opened it slowly. "What about the babies?"

She heard a low growl from Christian and saw him beginning to pace and pull at his hair out of the corner of her eye, but she kept eye contact with her father.

"Elena and I have discussed that princess. I'm only interested in having girls with you, so Elena mentioned that she would take the boy. She's rather fond of Christian...she was practically giddy when talking about it."

Anastasia felt herself beginning to shake. She knew that it would never happen...but the thought of them talking about it...planning it out was too much. Her anxiety started to kick in and she begged her body to stay calm just a little longer.

"Don't you love Daddy, princess?"

Taylor finally opened the door enough to get his body through without making noise and Anastasia let out a breath of relief.

"I love Christian, Daddy."

"But, princess...didn't you like living with daddy? We had so much fun. Daddy needs you, sweetheart."

"But I need Christian. He's everything, Daddy."

Frank lifted the gun and pointed it at Christian.

"No, Daddy! Please! I can't live without him!"

Frank looked at her shocked. "You can't?"

She shook her head. "No, Daddy. If you kill him, you might as well kill me, too."

His shoulders relaxed and he lowered the gun before picking it back up and putting it to his own temple.

Anastasia started towards him. "DADDY, NO-" There was a loud bang and Anastasia squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears. She couldn't hear anything, but ringing when she opened them and saw that the police and rest of security had rushed in.

She looked down at her birth father's body and saw him lying in a puddle of blood. Her ears kept ringing while people were shouting, but she didn't know what they were saying. She felt a tug on her waist and looked up as Christian was pulling her against him. He held her tight and sobbed into her neck, so she held him back, squeezing him as tight as she could, but she felt numb. Her whole body had formed goosebumps and she could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing. She looked around at the others and felt like everything was in slow motion. Taylor and Sawyer now surrounded the two of them, but she didn't know what to say...didn't know what to think. It seemed her brain and her heart had stopped working. She felt nothing-thought nothing. It was like her soul was floating above her and she was just an empty shell. Nothing felt real.

Christian pulled back and looked down at her, saying something. She saw his lips moving, but her ears weren't listening, her mind not comprehending. She just kept looking up at him, unable to communicate. Christian shook her a little and she blinked up at him. Taylor popped up beside him to look at her and she watched as Taylor's lips moved, but again...nothing. Christian was saying something again and then pushed down on her shoulders. Her knees gave out and she fell back into the computer chair that was suddenly there. He knelt in front of her and held her face between his hands, trying to talk to her. She continued to study his face, but nothing was clicking.

A woman showed up and Christian moved to the side. She took his place, shining a light in each of Anastasia's eyes, making them water. Anastasia blinked a few times and saw the woman nod and talk to Christian. The woman took Anastasia's wrist, then placed the stethoscope on her chest. The woman walked away and Christian took his place in front of Anastasia again.

Suddenly, Anastasia felt her stomach move from the inside. She looked down at her stomach and felt another kick. _Her babies._ She looked back up at Christian and blinked a few times. She could hear his voice.

"She's in shock, Taylor!"

"Christian?" Her brain had finally caught up.

"Yes, baby, yes...I'm right here! You're safe now. I'm here." He took her hand and held it to his chest, sitting up straight and kissing her lips. She felt his tears against her cheeks and pulled away, wiping his cheek with her free hand.

"He's gone." Anastasia stated.

Christian nodded. "He's gone."

She looked over Christian's shoulder to see, but he grabbed her face and forced her to keep eye contact.

"Don't look, Ana."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Sir..." Taylor started, hanging up his phone. "Darius spoke with the front desk. Mason let him up when he said he was Mrs. Grey's father. He thought he was Ray...since he's on the list, he let him up."

Christian huffed. "That's all it took? Why the fuck do we have pictures next to the list of names if they aren't going to fucking verify it? Fire the fucker!"

Taylor nodded. "Already have, sir. Once the police are done with him, he'll be escorted out of the building. Mason better be thanking his lucky stars that it's Darius down there and not me."

Christian shook his head and growled in frustration. "No matter what we do to prepare! What precautions we take! How do we keep managing to find these stupid fucks?"

Anastasia licked her lips and looked up at their security then back to Christian. "Can we go home now?" She wanted away from there.

"Yes. Yes, baby. Of course." Christian stood. "Can you walk? Do you want me to carry you?"

"I can walk, Christian." She took his outstretched hand and stood on shaky legs.

He escorted her towards the door and on their way, she turned her head to look at all the people surrounding her dead father, but Christian put his hand over her eyes.

"No. Don't look."

She reached up and peeled his hand off of her face, holding it in her own. "Okay. I won't."

A police officer stopped them at the door.

"Mr. Grey, I'm Officer Phillips. We need you to stay to get your account of what happened."

"No."

"What?" The police officer looked put off.

"If you couldn't tell, my wife is heavily pregnant and has just witnessed something very traumatic. I need to get her home and away from all this. You do not need a statement from us. Everything is on film." Christian pointed to the camera in the corner of the office. "Watch it first. If you have any further questions, feel free to call the head of my security and we'll cooperate. Until then, I'm taking her home."

Officer Phillips stared at him for a few seconds, before sighing and giving a nod. "Very well."

"Good. Taylor...give the man your number."

XxXxXx

On the way back home, Christian refused to let go of Anastasia in the car...not that she seemed to mind. She leaned against him while he stroked her hair and kept pressing kisses to the top of her head. Christian smiled, watching Anastasia. The movement was making her eyes droop and her body relaxed against his. He had realized early on that sleep was her body's coping mechanism to stress. Whenever she became stressed, her body would start to shut down and become drowsy, causing her to sleep and ignore the plethora of emotions running through her body.

"Will you call my dad?" Anastasia asked, half asleep.

"Yes, baby. Sleep. I'll call Ray." He pulled his phone out and decided he should probably call his mother, too. He wanted to get Anastasia checked out.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ray."

"Hey, Son. What's up?"

"A lot. Listen...I need you to come to the house as soon as you can. We're on our way there now." Christian didn't want to explain over the phone.

"What happened? Are you okay? Is Annie-?"

"Yes, we're fine. Something happened at work...and let's just say we won't have to worry about Frank anymore."

He heard Ray intake sharply. "What?"

"Please just come to the house. I don't want to explain it all over the phone."

"On my way."

The line went dead and Christian frowned, looking down at it. No one had done that to him before...usually he was the one that ended the phone call without goodbye. He couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. Of course it would be his father-in-law that would do that. The only person on the planet he couldn't get pissed at.

He called his mother next.

"Hello, Christian!" His mother said, happily.

"Hi, Mom. I need a favor."

"Of course, darling. What is it?"

"I need you to bring your bag and come to the house to check out Anastasia and the babies. Do you still have that fetal heart doppler?"

"I do...is everything okay?" His mother's cheeriness diminished and she now sounded worried.

"We had a scare at work today and I just want to make sure...just to ease my own worry. She seems fine." Christian explained, not wanting to upset Grace.

"Oh...a scare?"

"Yes, Mom. I'll explain when you get there."

"Alright...I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Mom."

"Bye, Christian."

XxXxXx

"Christian? Christian, where are you?" Ray's voice rang out in the large house.

"Shhh! We're in the living room!" Christian said as quietly as he could from his spot on the couch. Anastasia was curled into him, her forehead in the crook of his neck while she slept.

Anastasia stirred on the couch. "Christian?"

"Shh...I'm here, baby. Sleep." He encouraged, wanting to keep her relaxed until he was sure she was okay. Luckily, she didn't fight him and was out like a light by the time her father made it to the living room.

"She's sleeping?" Ray asked, taking a seat on the couch close to her feet and turning towards them. "Now tell me what happened?"

"Frank showed up at work with a gun and threatened to kill me if I didn't give him Anastasia..." He saw Ray's face so he hurried along. "Of course, Ana has the best timing in the world and shows up in my office while he has the gun pointed at me and there was a bit of a stand-off...she kept him talking until Taylor managed to sneak into the room, but then he turned the gun on himself and shot himself right in the head."

Ray looked stunned. "He didn't hurt Annie?"

Christian shook his head. "No. I would have died before I let that happen."

"How did he get all the way to your office?"

"Some stupid fucker let him up because he said he was her father. The fucker thought it was you and didn't even check the photo comparison before just letting him through. Came straight into my office with no problem." Christian shook his head and sighed, annoyed. "If Ana would have gotten hurt..."

"She's fine though, right? And so are you?" Ray asked, moving closer and placing Anastasia's feet in his lap.

Christian nodded.

"So don't play the what if game. That monster is gone and both of you are alright."

Christian gave another nod, but couldn't help himself. If something would have happened to her or his children, he didn't think he could stop himself from strangling the fucker that let him in. He didn't know how he kept his cool even in his office with the way that Frank was speaking and acting. Frank really thought she belonged to him; he was fucked up in the head enough to believe that she wanted him. Christian knew that she didn't feel like she belonged to Frank...but he still wanted her to admit she was only his. He wished he could bring the fucker back from the dead just so he could have a chance at him himself. He would make sure it was a slow and painful death.

Elena, on the other hand, was still alive. He had found out so much about her today...things he was never aware of before. She had told him that he was the only child under the age of eighteen that she had been with...when in truth, she had multiple and, on top of that, helped others groom their children to be victimized. He was going to make sure she paid for everything she did to him, to Ana, and to all the other children she hurt.

He hated that Ana talked to her birth father like that...he had never heard her voice like that before...but he knew that voice well. It was soft and sweet and higher-pitched-almost childlike. It was the voice of a submissive. Hearing her speak to her father like that made every hair on his body stand up and his stomach churn to the point where he thought he was going to expel his lunch. It took every ounce of control he had not to hop over his desk and try to kill him. That mother fucking gun was the only thing that kept him in his spot; he couldn't risk Frank shooting Anastasia because of it.

Gail brought the two men some whiskey and Anastasia a glass of sprite for when she woke up.

"So, what did he say?" Ray asked.

Christian sighed, not wanting to get into it. "A lot."

"Did you manage to hit the panic button?"

Christian swirled his whiskey around in his small tumbler and nodded.

"Can I see it?"

Christian's eyes shot up. "Why would you want to see it?"

Ray took a deep swig, emptying his glass. "I just need to know. I need to know everything that was said. It'll eat at me if I don't."

"I..." Christian pulled at his hair with his free hand.

"Please, son. I need to see." Ray looked into Christian's eyes and Christian saw the urgency there.

"Okay. I'll have Taylor send the video to my email. I'll play it for you later."

"Dad?"

The two men's eyes shot down to Anastasia, who was starting to stir.

"Hi, babygirl."

She sat up and moved toward Ray hugging him.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded against him. "Yes."

"You sure know how to give your old man a heart attack, you know that?" Ray teased lightly.

Anastasia gave him a sad smile. "I know. I'm a mess."

Ray chuckled. "You are not a mess. The world is."

"Ana...my mother is going to be here soon to check you out. I think you should change into your sweats." Christian mentioned, eyeing her dress. "Come. I'll help." He got up to take his tumbler into the kitchen.

"Help! Wait for me! I can't get up!" Anastasia yelled, giggling.

He turned and saw her struggling to get off the couch and laughed. "I'll save you, baby."

After he pulled her up, she huffed. "Make a note that these couches are too low for big fat pregnant ladies."

Christian chuckled and kissed her temple. "Noted."

He escorted her up the stairs and to their walk-in closet where he unzipped the back of her dress. He watched as she pulled it off.

"You should probably get rid of those..." He said, motioning to her pregnancy underwear with his finger. "She's going to check the babies' heartbeats and won't be able to with them behind that iron wall."

Anastasia scowled playfully at him. "Don't make fun of my underwear, Mr. Grey! They are the only things that hold my stomach so that my back doesn't hurt as bad."

"Well, can you wear a regular pair of underwear for awhile?"

She frowned. "They're so uncomfortable...and they keep rolling down when I try to wear them. Can't I just skip the underwear?" She asked, pulling her maternity underwear down.

Christian grinned. "Going commando, huh?" He asked, pulling her favorite pair of gray sweatpants out of the drawer.

"Yep."

"Sounds good to me, Mrs. Grey." He kneeled down and helped her into her sweatpants, smacking her ass playfully before pulling them up.

"I need you tonight, Christian." She mentioned, looking down at him.

His heart swelled at her words. "Oh, Ana. You can have me anytime you want." He stood and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her soundly. "You are mine, Anastasia. Only mine."

She grinned up at him. "I'm all yours, Christian."

He sighed, relieved that she had finally said it again.

"Mine." He said, grabbing her backside. "Mine." He said, cupping her sex. "Mine." He said, grabbing her breasts. "Mine." He said, placing his hand over her heart. "Mine." He said, kissing her lips. "Ours." He said, cupping her baby bump with both hands.

She smiled. "You done, yet?"

He shrugged. "For now. I'll continue later." He answered, wiggling his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes and swatted his butt. "Let go of me so I can throw on a tank top."

XxXxXx

"Sounds like both of the babies are doing just fine. Their heartbeats are strong and beating at 138 and 132, respectively." Grace smiled, rubbing Anastasia's belly before pulling her tank top down for her.

"See, everything is fine. You worry too much." Anastasia said, sticking her tongue out at her husband.

Christian rolled his eyes. "You went into shock, Anastasia. I just wanted to check. I'm just glad you didn't go into labor."

"I'm just glad that neither one of you were hurt. There is nothing wrong with getting checked out. I can't imagine what you two were going through."

Christian's mother had rushed into the house in hysterics, hearing that there had been a shooting at Grey House on the radio. It had taken him almost twenty minutes to explain and console his mother before she settled down.

Anastasia frowned. "I don't think I want to go back this week. Christian...would you mind if I worked from home?"

"Of course not. I'm going to be working from home, too. They're going to have to repaint my office and replace the carpet." He frowned at the thought. That office would always hold a reminder of what had happened that day. He could deal with it and it would become a distant memory for him, but he was worried that it would remind Anastasia of her birth father every time she walked into Grey House.

"I'm sorry that you two had to go through that and see the monster kill himself, but I'm glad he's gone." Ray mentioned. "At least we know he won't be popping up and threatening Annie and the babies anymore."

"Mr. Grey...Mrs. Grey? Are you wanting me to start dinner?" Gail asked, embarrassed that she had to interrupt.

"That's our cue to go..." Grace mentioned, grabbing her bag.

"No! Don't go..." Anastasia begged, trying to stand. Christian helped her up and she took Grace's bag and put it back down. "I don't want to be alone."

"Do you want me to call the rest of the family and see if they want to come for dinner?" Christian asked.

Anastasia smiled. "As long as I don't have to get dressed."

Christian laughed. "I'll mention to Kate that it's a pajama dinner. I'm sure she'll be ecstatic."

"Great! I'll go and help Gail in the kitchen!" Anastasia said, leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing Christian before heading off into the kitchen with Grace and Gail on her tail.

 **A/N: I really wanted to end this one on a high note. I'm almost done. I think I'll do her going into labor and finish it there. One more chapter and then it will be complete.**


	50. Chapter 49

**A/N: Last chapter. I kind of had too much fun with finding twins and Christian/baby manips...so my pinterest is swimming with new pins. Don't forget to check it out!**

 **I had a really hard time writing this chapter and it's still not where I want it to be, but sometimes you just have to let it be. It is what it is. Maybe some day I'll edit it to what I had pictured it to be.**

 **I hope you all enjoy the final chapter the way it turned out. :)**

"Do you have our birth plan?" Anastasia asked Christian while they were in their bedroom, packing and double checking that they had everything for the hospital. It was Saturday night and they would be checking into the hospital very early on Monday morning so she could be induced. Both were excited, but nervous. Anastasia could feel the children running out of room already, so she knew it was time, but at the same time, the thought of bringing home two newborns to take care of scared the hell out of her.

"It's right here." Christian said, holding up a manila folder. They had spoken in depth what they both wanted and Christian decided it was best to have it all in writing so he could hand it out to the nursing staff. He didn't want any confusion on how they wanted everything done and Anastasia couldn't help, but give him that much. They both had done extensive research on birthing twins and she knew he wouldn't have much control in the situation. She hoped that having Grace in the room while she labored would help keep Christian calm.

He slipped the folder into their duffel bag along with his clothes while she emptied the diaper bag and refilled it for the umpteenth time. Once she was finished, she zipped it back up and placed it next to the duffel bag. She plopped down on the bed and rubbed her face.

Christian sat next to her and squeezed her to him. "I'm sure we've got everything. If not, that's why we have Taylor and Sawyer."

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "It isn't that. I just don't feel right...my body I mean. Something feels off. I'm anxious and antsy...like my body won't relax. It's like my whole body has restless leg syndrome or something."

"It's not just nerves?" Christian asked, rubbing her large stomach.

Anastasia shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'll feel better if we go downstairs and make some hot chocolate."

He smiled. "Sure, baby." He stood and offered a hand to her.

"Go ahead and put the kettle on. I'm going to use the restroom first."

Christian made his way downstairs while Anastasia used the restroom. She stood to pull up her sweatpants and felt a warm liquid roll down her leg.

"Holy shit!" She hurried to pull her bottoms up so she could hurry down and tell Christian.

Once she made her way down, she found him in the kitchen filling their Kitchenaid kettle.

"Christian! My water broke!"

The kettle dropped from his hand as he swung around to face her, the kettle hitting the floor with a crash and the water spilling everywhere.

"But that isn't part of our birth plan, Anastasia!"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'll just keep them in for the next two days!"

"You're right...okay. I'm sorry. Just let me think..." Christian began to pace, completely ignoring the puddle of water as he padded through it. His hands clutched at the sides of his hair and Anastasia couldn't help, but be amused.

After pacing for almost a minute, he turned back towards her. "Okay...so we're going to the hospital. I'll get our bags and we'll head there now."

Anastasia nodded slowly. "Yes, very good honey." He paced all that time to come to that conclusion? She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

He gave her a nod. "Great." He started to walk towards the living room, his steps becoming faster with each stride and by the time he made it to the door, he was practically at a run.

Christian yanked the French door open. "TAYLOR! GET THE CAR!" He slammed the door shut and hurried towards the stairs.

"I think a phone call would have sufficed..." Anastasia mentioned, giggling. She hadn't even started having contractions, yet. There really wasn't any need to panic.

She watched him trip up the stairs, both hands yanking at his hair, while he mumbled to himself. She hadn't meant to send him over the deep end.

While Christian was upstairs doing God-knows-what-probably pulling his hair out and putting his shoes on the wrong foot-Taylor entered the house, looking desheveled.

"I'm getting the keys, Mrs. Grey."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Taylor. I'm sorry that Mr. Grey bothered you this late. My water just broke and he seems to have lost his mind."

His eyes widened. "It has? We better get going then!" Taylor looked around. "Where _is_ Mr. Grey?"

She giggled. "He's _supposed_ be upstairs grabbing our bags off the bed, but he should have been back... He probably forgot how to tie his shoes by now."

"Would you like me to go collect him for you?" Taylor asked, looking amused.

She smiled back at him. "Yes, Taylor. That would be lovely."

He nodded. "Good. Why don't you have a seat on the chair while I go find him?"

Anastasia nodded. "Sure." She watched him disappear up the stairs and hurried to the linen closet to grab a couple towels. She placed them on the floor of the kitchen and tried to dry the floor the best she could. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled her way across the floor to dry it up, when she was stopped by a pair of purple slippers. She looked up to see Gail with her hand on her hip.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Anastasia laughed and started to stand, Gail helping her. "I was just cleaning up Christian's mess."

Gail bent to pick up the towels. "Mrs. Grey, you are too far along! What if you go into labor?"

She laughed. "I already am. That's why Christian dropped the kettle."

Gail gasped. "Really?" She squealed and pulled Anastasia in for a hug. "Really?" She asked again, holding onto Anastasia's arms.

Anastasia nodded. "My water broke. No contractions, though, yet."

Gail was beaming. "Well, they'll come soon!"

"Should I wait until I start having them?" Anastasia asked.

"Why don't you call the doctor?" Gail advised, picking up the house phone and pulling Dr. Greene's cell phone number up before handing it to Anastasia.

It rang three times before the doctor answered, sounding groggy. She was obviously sleeping and Anastasia felt bad.

"Dr. Greene? It's Ana Grey. I'm terribly sorry for waking you, but my water broke and I wasn't sure when I should head to the hospital. I haven't had any contractions, yet."

"It's no problem, Ana. Go ahead and go to the hospital now. With it being twins, I want to watch you closely in case we need to do a cesarean. I'm going to grab a few more hours of shut eye and then I'll be there. If anything happens in the meantime, don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you, Dr. Greene. See you soon."

XxXxXx

Anastasia had her shoes on, her handbag on her shoulder, and had texted the family by the time Christian and Taylor reappeared. She heard thundering footsteps down the steps and Christian ran right past her with the duffel, baby bag, and two pillows.

"We've got everything, Taylor! Let's go!" Taylor followed after him with another bag and two pumpkin seats. The door slammed behind them and the women looked at one another.

"Did he just-"

The door opened again and Christian came back in.

"Forget something?" Anastasia asked.

"Hush." He grabbed her and picked her up, carrying her out the door.

Anastasia laughed. "I can walk you know."

"This way I know you make it to the car in a timely manner."

"Gail!" Anastasia called out.

Gail waved. "I'll be there in a bit! Just going to get things ready here first!"

Christian threw her in the car and buckled her seatbelt, before jumping in himself.

"Go, Taylor!" Taylor was obviously not moving fast enough for his liking.

"Christian, will you relax? I haven't even started having contractions, yet! We have loads of time."

Christian kept running his hands through his hair. "You don't know that, Anastasia...I want to make sure we're there if something goes wrong! The doctor said...SHIT! I've forgotten to call-"

"Relax! I've already called her!" Anastasia interrupted.

Christian took a deep breath and she noticed that his shoulders slump a little in relief.

XxXxXx

"Here is your gown. Go ahead and get into it and I'll be back to hook you up." Mila, the nurse, explained. She pulled the curtain and closed the door to give them their privacy.

Christian helped Anastasia shed her clothing and tried to keep himself calm. She had her first contraction while they were getting out of the car and she had mentioned that she was surprised at how intense it was already. Of course this sent him into a panic and he could see just now nervous she was by the way he was acting. He told himself he needed to stay calm to keep her calm...even though inside he felt like a mess.

By the time he got her clothes off, another contraction hit and she squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. He held onto her and let her lean against him.

"I'm right here." He reminded her and he felt her nod against his neck.

Once it passed, he got her into the gown and settled into bed.

"Are you still wanting to do some of the laboring in the birthing pool?" He asked, wondering if they would still try to keep to their birth plan even though she wasn't being induced. Dr. Greene had told them that going into labor naturally was usually a shorter process and he wondered if they'd have time to use it.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes...if everything is okay."

"Knock, knock!" Nurse Mila popped her head around the curtain. "Ready for the monitors?"

Anastasia smiled at her. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Nurse Mila laughed. "You'll do great. You were born to do this! Let's see how these babies are doing."

It took Mila about five minutes to get the monitors in the right places and mentioned that everything looked perfect.

"I'm going to go get the stuff for an IV and I'll come back-"

Anastasia shook her head while she squeezed her eyes shut and held on to the bed railing. Christian took her hand and let her squeeze it.

"Not yet. I want to labor in the birthing pool for awhile." She got out through gritted teeth.

"Mrs. Grey...with you having twins-"

"She said no!" Christian barked, pissed that the nurse was fighting her in mid-contraction. "We spoke with Dr. Greene in depth about this and she agreed that Anastasia does not need to be poked and prodded unless needed. She's already going through enough as it is. I want her as comfortable as possible, do you understand?" Christian hated when people argued with them. It was their decision...no one else's. She had just said that everything looked perfect and now she wanted to shove fluid through Anastasia's veins when she was perfectly healthy.

"Alright, Mr. Grey. I apologize. I guess this means you aren't wanting any pain medication before the epidural?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No. My children won't be drugged."

Christian grinned at his wife, extremely proud of her. She wanted to do the labor and delivery as natural as possible and he would support her in any way he could. He knew seeing her in pain would be hard to watch, but it was her decision. She had wanted a home birth, but with it being twins and them needing to come early, Dr. Greene had advised against it and so did Christian. He wanted Anastasia to be comfortable, but safety came first. If he felt like things were getting too out of hand or that the children were at risk, then he would step in about an epidural and cesarean. They had done their research and an epidural was harmless to the children's blood system; he and Anastasia both agreed that if either felt that it was necessary, that she would get one.

Mila nodded. "Let me go get the birthing pool and we'll get it set up for you."

Anastasia thanked the nurse on her way out.

XxXxXx

"I think I'd like to get into the pool now."

Anastasia was at a four and her contractions were off the charts. Ray and Grace were now in the room with them and were trying to be as quiet and comforting as they could. She had a sports bra on under her gown, but had no bottoms and Christian cocked an eyebrow as he helped her out of bed.

"Are you wanting our parents in here while you're naked?"

"I don't care who's in here! As long as it takes some of the pressure off of my back, the Pope could come in and I'd be happy as a lamb in my pool." This made the other three laugh. "As long as they don't care, neither do I."

Christian nodded, but didn't say anything as he helped her over to the tub. He knew it wasn't the time to fight her on such a thing; he could trust their parents...it was just odd to him that they'd see her so naked.

He untied the back of her gown and slipped it off of her arms, throwing it over the chair before holding out his hand so she could step into the tub. She sat and got settled, sighing.

"Much better." She leaned back and rested her head against the inflatable side.

Another thirty minutes went by and Christian could see Anastasia's energy and endurance wearing thin. She was floating on her stomach, holding onto the two handles on the outside with her forehead pressed against the plastic while she tried breathing through another contraction. Christian rubbed up and down her back and kept pressing kisses to the top of her head.

"You've got this, baby. You're doing so well. I'm so proud of you, Ana." He whispered in her ear. He tried to remain calm, but his stomach was churning and all he really wanted to do was cry. Seeing her go through so much pain was gut-wrenching and he just wanted to make it stop. She went into labor the night before, which meant she hadn't slept in 24 hours.

"Christian." Anastasia whimpered and he knew exactly what she was asking.

"Okay, baby. I'm coming." He kissed her head one last time and stood, stripping down to his boxer-briefs.

He climbed in and she turned towards him, straddling his thighs and hiding her face in his neck. He continued to rub his hands up and down her back, putting slight pressure against her backbone. He felt her shoulders relax and her body molded to his.

"There we go, good girl, Ana. Just relax." He continued to rub her back, massaging it like he was taught in their birthing class. He could hear his mother and father-in-law making quiet chit chat, but he didn't care what they were saying. To be honest, he wanted them to shut up, so that Anastasia could have this quiet time, but he knew saying something might upset her and that was the last thing he wanted.

She whimpered and tensed as another contraction hit, but he kept rubbing her back through it. Tipping his head down, he whispered encouraging words in her ear.

"I'm so exhausted." She mumbled against his neck.

His heart ached for her. "I'm so sorry, baby. Do you want to turn so I can get your lower back?"

She nodded against his shoulder and turned away from him. He got on his knees and she did the same, but she opened them wide so that her butt was on the floor of the pool and she leaned forward on her hands. He worked on her lower back through two contractions before she moved and leaned back against him. He sat back on his rear and held her between his legs, comforting her the best he could. He looked down at her face and could see the exhaustion there. She had dark circles under her eyes, her face was pale and pulled into a frown.

"Baby, I think it's time you had an epidural. You need some sleep." He couldn't stand it anymore.

Her forehead creased. "But, I've already made it this far..."

"Yes, and you're exhausted. If you don't get some sleep, you're going to be too exhausted to push and end up with a cesarean. Please, Ana. Please do this."

She nodded. "Okay."

Christian looked at their parents and Grace left the room to speak with the staff.

"Come on, let's get you dried and back into bed."

XxXxXx

Anastasia was back in bed and numb from the ribs down, sleeping soundly. Christian watched her monitor jump as a contraction hit, but his wife's face remained relaxed and her eyes closed. He smiled fondly at her and had to resist reaching over and holding her. She needed her rest and he knew he shouldn't wake her.

He was glad that he had convinced her when he did, because they had checked her and she was at a 6.5. They said the window to get one had almost closed. He sat at the chair right next to his wife, while Grace and Ray sat on the long couch against the window. The only sounds were the quiet wooshings of the babies' heartbeats that he asked them to leave on and he felt himself beginning to relax. He leaned his head against the railing and watched her serene face for awhile, before his eyelids became too heavy and he began to drift off himself.

He was jolted awake by voices and saw that Dr. Greene was there.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead." Anastasia smiled, running her fingers through his tossled hair.

"Ana, you're between a 9 and a 10, so we're going to roll you into the OR now."

"What? Why?" Ray jumped out of his seat. He had been mostly quiet, but upon hearing the word 'OR' he panicked.

"Don't worry, Mr. Steele. It's only a precaution we take with all mothers carrying multiples. They deliver in the OR in case something goes wrong, we'll already be there." Dr. Greene soothed.

Ray nodded and came over to give Anastasia a kiss and to whisper some encouraging words.

The day nurse, Kim, handed Christian blue scrubs and footies to go over his shoes. "Put these on, Mr. Grey. Then we'll roll her in to push."

XxXxXx

"Christian, I've changed my mind...I can't do this." Anastasia told him in mid-push.

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I think it's a little too late for that, baby. You've got this. I'm right here."

"Okay, Ana...on the next contraction you're going to bear down hard." Dr. Greene encouraged, while checking Anastasia. "I can feel the baby's head against the cervix."

Christian watched Anastasia's eyes widen before she turned her head and leaned into his ear. "And here I thought fisting was a hard-limit."

Christian snorted and shook his head. "You are a mess, woman. What am I going to do with you?"

"Help me get these out!" Anastasia answered, poking her stomach. "That's what you can do!"

His smile turned into a frown. "I'm trying, baby."

"Okay, Ana...here comes another one. Push!" Dr. Greene told her.

Christian held her hand in both of his. "Push, baby...push. That's it! Good job. You're doing so well, Ana!"

"Okay! Stop pushing!"

Anastasia let out her breath and relaxed against her pillow.

"The head is out." The doctor confirmed, suctioning the airway.

"Can I look?" Christian asked Anastasia.

She gave him a ridiculous look. "Uh... if you want to?"

He let go of her hand and moved towards Dr. Greene. He could see a scrunched up little face with a mass of dark hair that was covered in white goo. His heart exploded at that moment. He was in love. He didn't even know which baby it was...didn't care that it was covered in a mess of goo, or that the babies face was all smooshed. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

"Okay, you're going to start pushing again Ana. Do you want to pull it out?"

"Are you fucking nuts? Hell no, I do not want to pull my baby out of me!"

"Can I do it?" Christian asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Everyone in the room looked at him while Anastasia pushed. "You told me to help!"

"Just get it out of me!" She growled.

"Okay...get your hands over here or you'll miss it!" Dr. Greene held her hands under the baby that was emerging and Christian reached down and pulled the baby out.

"It's our girl, Ana! Our baby girl!" Christian announced, excited.

"Lay her on Mom." Dr. Greene told him and he laid the baby on the towel that was placed on Anastasia's chest. "Rub her with the towel. Get her to use those lungs."

He and Anastasia did what they were told and soon the baby let out a wail, causing them both to tear up.

"Thank you, Ana. Thank you so much, baby." Christian kissed her lips over and over before his attention went back to their baby.

"She's beautiful." Anastasia mentioned.

"She's perfect."

"Ana, if you start nursing, the rest will come easier." Dr. Greene commented.

Anastasia nodded and Christian helped unsnap her gown. It took a few seconds, but she finally latched, letting Anastasia and Christian take her in properly while she fed.

Christian's heart swelled as he watched his girls, and he let out a sob. Seeing his wife feeding their child was such an intense feeling.

"You are incredible, Ana. I love you so much."

She looked up at Christian with glassy eyes. "I love you, too, Christian. Thank you."

"For what?" He didn't understand what he could have possibly done that even compared to what she did...was still doing. They still had one more to go.

"For being my rock today; I couldn't have done it without you. Also, for knocking me up." She added, giggling.

XxXxXx

After the placenta came, baby boy Grey came soon after.

Christian watched as their boy crowned. "I see the head, Ana!"

Anastasia collapsed against her pillow. "Can I push now?"

"Yes, Ana. You can push." Dr. Greene encouraged.

Christian reached down as the shoulders were making their way out and pulled. He held him out to get a better look at him and found himself sobbing.

"He's beautiful, Ana!"

"Bring him here! Let me see!"

He placed their son on her chest and they started to rub him clean, but the baby seemed perfectly content and refused to cry.

"Why isn't he crying?!" Anastasia went into a panic, sending Christian into one, too. He took him from her before the doctor could even say anything and ran his index finger down his spine, remembering how much Mia hated it as a baby. The baby let out a wail Christian blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Good job, Daddy." Dr. Greene commented, smiling.

Christian grinned and placed the baby back on Anastasia's chest.

"He looks like you." Anastasia commented. "His hair is lighter than his sister's. His face is longer...he's got your chin, look." She touched his chin.

Christian was beaming. "We make pretty cute kids, don't we?"

"Are you ready to cut the cords, Mr. Grey?" One of the nurses popped up with scissors.

He took the scissors from her and cut baby boy's cord before turning and cutting baby girl's who laid quietly in her roll bassinet next to them.

"Wonderful. I'm going to take them over and assess them now. We'll be right back." The nurse took their son and placed him in the bassinet next to his sister before wheeling them away to the other corner of the room.

"Christian..." Anastasia started, craning to look around the nurse.

"On it." Christian stepped over to watch the nurse, making sure that no accidents were to happen while the children were away. She started with baby girl.

"Five pounds, seven ounces..Apgar 7..."

He watched her take a white stick and place it on her heel, hitting the button on the end. The baby let out a wail and he saw that there was blood coming from it.

"What the fuck!?"

"Relax, Mr. Grey. We need a heel stick to test the blood." She held up something that looked like paper and held it against the baby's heel a couple times.

"She's screaming!" Christian pulled on his hair. "Let me have her."

The nurse set the paper down and immediately handed her to Christian.

He cuddled and kissed her forehead. "Sh, sh, sh. It's okay, princess. Daddy's got you." He rubbed her sore little heel with his thumb. "I'll make it better." The baby calmed down almost immediately and the tightness in his chest dissipated. "Let's go see Mommy."

"Mr. Grey, these are your bands for her...she gets one and each of you get one. Here-"

"I'll do it." Christian said, scowling. "Let me have them." He didn't want that woman touching his baby girl again.

She nodded. "Okay. Put this around her ankle, Mr. Grey. We'll get his after I've assessed him."

"I'm taking our daughter to her mother. Do not start without me. Do you understand?" Christian asked, angry.

The nurse's eyes widened. "Oh, um...okay."

It was refreshing to have a staff member who did as they were told without fighting back. He knew he should probably be a little nicer to her. He carried baby girl over to Anastasia and placed her in her arms.

"What's going on?" Anastasia asked, worried. She could see that Christian was angry.

"Don't worry. I've got it under control. You worry about her now. Our girl needs cuddled." He mentioned, placing the band around the baby's ankle.

He attached one to Anastasia's arm and then one to his own arm. "There. Physical proof that she's ours."

Anastasia laughed. "Go make sure our boy is okay."

"Five pounds ten ounces...Apgar 8." Christian watched as the nurse assessed his son and found himself clenching his fists when she pulled out the plastic pen again. When she hit the button, though, his son didn't cry like his sister. His little lips formed into a frown and his chin trembled, but he stayed quiet.

"Can I have him now?" Christian asked, annoyed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Just because he didn't cry like his sister, didn't mean he didn't need comforting.

She handed him their son and the wristbands for him. "All done for now."

Christian carried him back to Anastasia, kissing his forehead and nose. "I'm sorry little man. That was rough. I've got you."

Anastasia smiled at Christian, hearing him coo at their baby. "They've already turned you into a big softy."

XxXxXx

Christian made his way to the waiting room with his brand new baby daughter. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, he was amazed that he and Anastasia could make, not one, but two perfect little babies. Anastasia was back in their room, feeding baby boy, but Christian was too anxious to show what he made off, so he set out to introduce their family to 1/2 of the newest Greys.

The family saw him coming and all jumped up to see. He went straight for Ray and his parents.

"I'd like you to meet your granddaughter, Emerson Grace."

Grace squealed-which sounded much too similar to Mia- and held out her arms. "Oh, Christian! She's perfect! Oh, please let me hold her!"

He handed his daughter over to her namesake while Ray wiped a few tears from his eyes. He clapped Christian on the shoulder and then pulled him in for a hug.

"Thank you for being so good with Annie today. It was hard to see her so miserable, but you kept your head and made it as comfortable as possible for her. I couldn't be more proud of either one of you." He gazed at the baby in Grace's arms and rubbed the pad of his index finger over her cheek, causing her to root for a second. "She's absolutely perfect."

"Let us see, let us see!" Mia was hopping up and down, trying to get a better look. Christian and his father stepped back and let the others get a glimpse of her for a second before he took them back.

"I'm proud of you, Christian. Your mother told me how great you were today. It's good to know we raised you right."

Christian smiled at his father. "Thanks, Dad."

He heard commotion and realized they were starting to fight over who gets to hold her next.

"Enough!" Christian growled, taking Emerson from his mother. "If you're going to act like children, none of you will hold Eme."

"But..."

"No, Mia. Now hush and follow me. Ana should be done feeding."

The family, Taylor, and Gail followed Christian down the hall and to their private room where he popped his head in. "Are you decent, Mommy?"

Anastasia giggled and nodded. "Yes. Let the herd in."

They filed into the room and Ray went straight for Anastasia. "You are incredible, babygirl. I am so proud of you."

Anastasia beamed up at her father.

"And who is this?" Ray asked, peering down at his new grandson.

"This is Jamison Raymond..."

"All right! Jay Ray!" Elliot said, pumping his fist.

"No!" Anastasia said firmly. "Jamie for short. He's a little prince, NOT some ghetto rapper."

Elliot put his hands up in front of him. "Okay...calm down! It was only a joke! Jamie's good..."

"Sounds like an actor's name!" Mia mentioned, smiling.

"Or a model!" Kate added.

Anastasia facepalmed. "Right now, it's a baby's name."

"Can I hold him?" Ray asked.

"Of course. He just ate...so be careful. He might spit up."

While Anastasia was speaking with her father and the others were passing Eme around, Christian had a seat on the couch by the window, next to his brother.

"You should make more of these, they're so freaking cute, Christian!" Mia gushed, holding her niece.

"Perhaps we should. I'm really good at that..." Christian retorted.

Mia scrunched her nose and decided not to comment on his crassness. "I wish I could take a picture of her."

He shook his head. "You know the rules, Mia. We don't want any ending up plastered all over the internet. We'll get professionals done and then you can have a hard copy to keep."

"You can be like Brad and Angelina and make a deal with the magazines for oodles of money!" Mia said, smiling.

"We don't need any more money, Mia. No amount of money is worth my children's privacy. I'm not going to have some sick fucker get his hands on pictures of our children."

Mia rolled her eyes. "No need to get huffy, Christian. You act like I'm the bad guy. It was just a suggestion." She handed Emerson to Gail and walked away.

"Mr. Grey...could I speak to you for a second?"

"Yes, of course, Gail." Christian stood and they ducked to the corner of the room while she held the baby.

"I was wondering...I know that you've interviewed dozens of people for the nanny position and are having trouble finding one you like...what would you think if I became their nanny?"

Christian's eyes widened and a large grin appeared on his face. "Brilliant! You really want to?" Gail was one of the few people that he trusted completely and he couldn't imagine a better solution to their problem.

"Yes, I'd love to."

"Gail...you don't know how happy and relieved you just made me! We'll find a part-time housekeeper to deep clean twice a week. I want all of your attention to be on our children when you're watching them." Christian felt so relieved, he pulled her into a hug, the baby smooshed between them.

XxXxXx

The children were taken away to be cleaned up and the family cleared out to watch from the big window of the nursery. Anastasia and Christian took the opportunity to get her dressed into her own clothes.

Christian held out postpartum underwear, which essentially were adult diapers.

"Oh my god. I have to wear that? You aren't going to laugh are you?" Anastasia looked horrified.

Christian frowned. "What?" He pulled her to him and hugged against him. "Why would I laugh? I saw how much pain you were in... I watched you push two living, breathing human beings out of you. Your body experienced something traumatic. I am in awe of you, Ana. If these are going to give you some comfort and relief, then wear them. I don't find you having to wear them funny. It upsets me that you have to wear these because of what you went through. Please do not be embarrassed. You're sore. Let me help you."

He released her and squatted down, holding them open. "Now...in you get."

Once they got her into her nursing nightgown and into bed, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Anastasia called.

Kate rushed in. "Christian! We just saw one of the nurses try to take a picture of one of the baby's with her cell phone!"

"What the fuck?!"

"I'll kill them!" Anastasia started to get out of bed, but Christian stopped her.

"I'll take care of this, Ana. Kate, keep Anastasia company. Make sure she rests." Christian commanded, not waiting for a response before he rushed out of the door.

When he got to the rest of the family, it was chaos. Taylor was standing with a woman in scrubs, who was in tears, Grace seemed to be fighting with another woman in scrubs while Carrick stood by her side with his arms crossed, and the others were all trying to talk at the same time to two men who looked like security guards.

Christian went straight for Taylor. "Is she the one?"

Taylor nodded. "She is the one."

"What the fuck did you think you were doing? Did you not think you'd get caught? You just messed with the wrong people, sweetheart. Where is your supervisor?"

The woman continued to cry into her hands, but Christian didn't give a flying fuck about her waterworks.

"She's over there, sir. Your mother is speaking with her." Taylor answered, nodding towards Grace.

"I want her fired! I want her license revoked!" Christian barked at the woman in front of his mother.

"Christian, we were just getting to that. This is a violation of HIPAA. I trust that Victoria will take the proper procedures and report this, because if she doesn't, she could have hers revoked, too." Grace said, setting her jaw.

"Yes, of course, Dr. Trevelyan."

"I trust that this woman is going to be terminated in the meantime?" Christian pushed. "My wife and I have donated millions of dollars to this hospital to create that new wing and we plan to continue our donations...but we will make sure it stops immediately if I feel that the hospital is employing staff who have no respect for the law or their patients."

The woman named Victoria nodded. "She'll be terminated immediately."

"I brought my wife here thinking that this was a safe haven for her and our children. It's quite disappointing knowing that the trust has been broken. Jason Taylor is the head of my security and since I cannot trust that my children are safe and their identities protected, he will watch over the children anytime they are not in our room. I do not want any member of your staff anywhere with my children where trustworthy eyes can't watch."

Victoria was getting paler by the second. "Yes, sir. Of course, Mr. Grey. Again, I apologize. We pride ourselves on the level of care and professionalism we have here; it's very disheartening knowing that one of my faculty didn't live up to our expectations. They are finishing cleaning your son up now. Once that is finished, I'll bring them back to your room myself."

Christian nodded. "Until then, Taylor will keep an eye out. He'll let me know if anyone takes a step out of line."

Victoria nodded and disappeared with the woman down the hall. Christian watched another one of the nurses clean his son for a second before turning to Taylor.

"I know it was supposed to be your day off Taylor, but-"

Taylor shook his head, stopping Christian. "No need to ask, Mr. Grey. Over Mrs. Grey's pregnancy I've grown to care for them and I love them. I will protect them like my own."

XxXxXx

That night, the lactation specialist spent almost an hour with Anastasia, going over everything. She had even taught Anastasia how to tandem breastfeed; it would help free up a lot of time and get both babies on the same schedule.

Christian mosied down to the cafeteria to grab something to eat and stretch his legs, leaving Anastasia in the hands of the specialist. When he got back and slipped into the room, he was greeted by Anastasia and the babies, who were all eating simultaneously and the specialist was gone.

Anastasia had the tandem feeding pillow around her, both babies latched on each side while she held her plate close to her mouth, shoveling in food.

Christian chuckled. "Now that takes some talent!"

Anastasia giggled. "Easy peasy."

He was glad to see her eat. She had gone so long without eating, he was surprised she had the energy to deliver the babies...even with the long nap she had.

"Hungry, Mrs. Grey?"

"Starved! I'm contemplating on licking this plate clean when I'm finished." She joked, giving him a wink.

Christian snorted. "I won't make you lick your plate. You can have some of mine."

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I was just kidding. I've got more than enough food here."

He couldn't take his eyes off her and their children while he ate. "You are such a natural, Ana. I can't wait to have more."

Anastasia laughed. "My cervix hasn't even contracted from these two, yet! Can we wait a bit?"

He eyed her. "Six months."

Her eyes widened. "You better add a year to that."

"I can do a year."

"A year?"

He nodded. "Their first birthday. Deal?"

She sighed. "I guess...Deal."

He grinned.

"...but if I end up with triplets..."

Christian laughed. "We'll be filling those bedrooms real quick if that happened."

"Oh, gosh. You know I'm just hoping that we get them home and you realize just how disastrous this is and decide you want to wait."

Christian gave her a Cheshire grin. "We'll see."

Anastasia gave him an annoyed tut. "Wipe that grin off your face and come burp your son!" She demanded, holding the small bundle up.

He took Jamison from her so he could burp him. "Don't forget Jamie...her name is Mommy...not Sergeant...I know it might be confusing sometimes..."

XxXxXx

The children were left in their room that night since she was breastfeeding and denied the formula that the nurses were willing to feed the children so they could sleep. Every two hours on the dot, Eme would start to cry, but Jamie seemed to be content with whatever was going on. It was interesting to see their different personalities already. Jamison was seemed much more laid back than his sister. His sister let it be known when she needed something or was uncomfortable, while he just stared up at his parents while they checked his diaper and fed him. The only time he cried during the night was when he had a bowel movement and didn't appreciate sitting in it.

The next morning was full of visitors. The family came back, along with Grandmother Trevelyan, Taylor and Gail, Ros and Gwen, Sawyer and Logan. Jose was stuck on the east coast, so they took a few minutes to skype him once everyone else had left. The doctor had given the all-clear for mother and babies, so Christian and Anastasia dressed their children for the first time and brought in a photographer to take some pictures before they left.

Anastasia was still pretty tired, but looked forward to going home. She couldn't wait to lay down in their own bed and put the babies in their co-sleeper that attaches to the bed.

She had just finished changing Jamie's diaper when Taylor came in carrying their car seats.

"All set Mr. and Mrs. Grey?" He asked, placing the car seats on the bed.

"I think so." Anastasia answered, gently placing Jamie in his light green car seat.

Christian followed suit and placed Eme in her matching pink seat. They snapped them in, Christian watching Anastasia's movements like a hawk.

She sighed. "Christian...if you're so worried about him being in right, then just check it."

Christian didn't have to be told twice.

Anastasia stood, her arms crossed and her foot tapping. "Happy?"

Christian finished checking his son's and nodded. "Yes." He then went back to Emerson's and checked hers again. "Safe and snug."

She let out a laugh and shook her head. "You can be so infuriating sometimes..." She pulled him to her by his belt loops and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him. "But I can't deny that seeing you so worried about their safety is endearing." She lifted on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. "You are already such a great father. It's going to be extraordinary getting to watch you interact with them."

It was one of those rare occasions, where a blush formed on Christian's cheeks and he blew out a slow, deep breath. "I hope I can live up to your expectations."

Anastasia smiled softly up at him. "You've already surpassed my expectations, Christian. You're going to be wonderful."

He hugged her tight. "So, are you ready to go home Mommy?"

She laughed. "I am, Daddy. Why do I have a feeling those are going to be our names from now on?"

He shrugged and looked over at their children. "I haven't the faintest idea."

There was a knock at the door and the nurse came in, pushing a wheelchair. "Are we ready?"

"Yes." Christian answered. "Taylor, pull the car around."

Taylor re-emerged from his spot in the corner where he pretended to be invisible and grabbed their bags before disappearing down the hall.

"Alright, Mrs. Grey. Have a seat."

Anastasia sat in the wheelchair.

"Mr. Grey...if you'd like, you can place the car seats side by side in her lap and they can be pushed down." The nurse explained.

He nodded and did so, refusing to take his hands off the handles.

"You sure you've got them?"

Anastasia smiled up at him. "Yes, honey. They're safe."

He gave her a nod and finally released the seats.

"Alright, Mrs. Grey. I'll push you-"

"No. I'll do it." Christian said, cutting her off. He wasn't about to risk his whole life to a woman he didn't know.

The nurse nodded and smiled. "No problem. I'll grab the flowers and balloons."

They made their way down to the car and the nurse busied herself with opening the back hatch and packing the gifts while Taylor and Christian helped Anastasia and the children get into the car.

Christian spoke with Audi and had a special Q7 made that housed both of the center seats together, like a van, instead of one on each side. He did his research and found that putting the child in the middle seat was safest when it came to side-impact accidents.

He placed Eme in the middle center seat and heard it click, but tugged a few times, making sure it wasn't going to come out. He took the other pumpkin seat from Taylor and climbed to the back, placing Jamie in the middle back seat and checking the carseat in the same manner. He climbled back out and helped Anastasia out of her wheel chair knowing that her abdominal muscles were still sore and into the seat next to Emerson.

"In you go, Mommy. We'll be home soon." Once she slipped into the leather seat, he buckled her in and shut the door, running around to the opposite side to climb into the back with Jamison.

"Ready to go?" Taylor asked, looking in the rearview mirror.

Christian nodded. "Yes, but slowly Taylor." He placed his hand over Jamison's stomach as he slept in his pumpkin seat.

Taylor smiled. "Yes, sir. Of course."

As he pulled away from the curb, Anastasia took a deep breath. "Here we go...we can do this...right?" She turned her head around to look at Christian.

"Yes, Mrs. Grey. We can do this." He placed his free hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Together, we can do anything."

XxXxXx

Carla had tried to contact Anastasia after the children were born, but Anastasia refused to answer, and cut ties with her completely. Being a mother now herself, she couldn't imagine treating her children that way and knew that she didn't want her own children to have a relationship with a woman like that.

Elena was arrested for her crimes against children and aiding and abetting a criminal, but was released on bail. Before she could be sentenced, she went missing and everyone thought she had skipped the country, until her body washed up on shore of the Chicago River. Christian and Anastasia were both questioned on how she ended up washing up in Chicago, but both denied taking part in the death of Elena Lincoln.

Christian and Anastasia kept their deal and ended up having their third child a month before their twins second birthday; it was a girl named Lucy. Two years later, their fourth and final child was born; a boy by the name of Theodore.


End file.
